GIFT  OF 
Prof.    C.A,   Kofoid 


Cbe  new  Salem 
$e$qui-€enteniiial 


Report  of  the  Jiddresses 
and  ProceedJiids  of  tne 
Celebration  of  the  isotb 
Jinniversary  of  the  Tn- 
corporation  of  the  town 
of  new  Salem,  at  new 
Salem  on  Cbur$day,Jlug. 
20tb,  190?    «    «    «    • 


•   •  •    •  •  • 


"   •  •    •      •  • 

•  •   •      •  •  • 

•  *  •  *  *      •  • 


iii^ol,  Pass.: 

^ranwript  §ook  anlr  |ob  ^rint,  dfc^ange  %ixttX 

1904 


/^     kyytp/O^A' 


TABI.E  OF  CONTENTS. 


PACK. 

Preliminary  Arrangements, 3 

Exercises  of  the  Anniversary  Celebration,     4-10 

Address  of  Welcome,    . 6-8 

President  Vaughan's  Address, 11-12 

Historical  Address, 13-49 

Preceptors  of  the  Academy, 33-4 

Trustees  of  the  Academy, 37-41 

George  W.  Horr's  Address,     50-53 

Letters  of  Regret, 54-60 

Various  Addresses, 61-62 

Bear's  Den, 63 

Geography  of  New  Salem, 64-5 

Antiquarian  Exhibit, 66-69 

The  Old  Gun— Where  is  it? 70-72 

New  Salem  Town  Officers, 73-77 


ARRANGEMENTS  FOR  THE  MEETING. 


w  T  THE  annual  town  meeting  holden  March  3,  1903,  it 
^t\  was  voted  to  observe  the  one  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniver- 
JL  >  _^'"nry  of  the  organization  of  the  town  of  New'Salfem 
as  a  district;  in  connection  with  the  annual  reunion  of  the  alumni 
of  New  Salem  Academy,  on  the  third  Thursday  of  August  fol- 
lowing. The  sum  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  appro- 
priated for  the  expenses  of  the  occasion,  and  a  committee  of 
seven  was  .appointed  to  act  in  connection  with  the  regular  Aca- 
demy reunion  committee.  The  following  were  appointed  viz: 
Daniel  Ballard,  Eugene  Bullard,  Albert  Ballard,  Edwin  F. 
Stowell,  Layman  E.  Moore,  Willard  Putnam,  Mrs.  B.  F.  Fay. 

The  reunion  committee  consisted  of  the  following  viz:  Mrs. 
Charles  Aborn,  Geo.  Fisher,  Miss  Eliza  Merriam,  Frank  Cogs- 
well, Miss  Luna  Pierce,  Fred  Whipple,  William  Bullard,  Mrs. 
R.  K.  Seig. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  joint  committees  Eugene  Bullard  was 
chosen  chairman  and  Edwin  F.  Stowell  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  meeting  was  held  as  arranged  on  the  20th  of  August. 
Although  the  day  opened  with  a  heavy  rain  storm  there  were 
present  during  the  day  eight  hundred  people,  many  coming  from 
distant  places  to  see  once  more  the  scenes  of  their  early  life. 


new  salem  sesqui-centennial. 
fro:ces©5:ngs  of  the  meeting 


:'c  THe|e;ife;^^6^  ^eite  ?ts  follows: 

'    '  •        '    ;  ■  I=tR'EjSII?ENT   OF   THE    DAY, 

E.  H.  Vaughn  of  Worcester. 

PRAYKR, 

By  Rev.  Perry  Marshall. 

ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME, 

By  Fayette  W.  Wheeler  of  Boston. 

HISTORICAL  ADDRESS, 

By  Eugene  Bullard  of  North  New  Salem. 
Dinner  was  served  at  vestry  of  Congregational  Church. 


AFTERNOON  EXERCISES. 
Addresses  by  Hon.  Richard  Irwin  of  Northampton. 

George  W.  Horr  of  Athol. 

Rev.  a.  V.  House  of  Worcester. 

General  Merriam,  U.  S.  A.,  of  Worcester. 

Willis  Sibley  of  Worcester. 

W.  A.  Davenport  of  Greenfield. 

Music  was  furnished  during  the  day  by  the  Farmers'  Band 
of  New  Salem. 

At  the  academy  was  exhibited  an  interesting  collection  of 
ancient  relics  contributed  by  the  people  of  the  town. 

THE   VISITORS. 

It  is  of  course  impossible  to  give  a  full  list  of  all  visitors,  but 
below  will  be  found  some  of  those  noticed  enjoying  the  day's 
celebration. 

C.  J.  Moulton  of  Erving,  Misses  Lucy  and  Emma  Grover  of 
Dana,    George    H.    Shores  of  Springfield,   Miss  Ella  Vorce  of 


JVEIV  SALEM  SESQU [-CENTENNIAL.  5 

Orange,   Otis  L.    Hager  of   North   Dana,    Mrs.  F.  W.  Cook  of 
Athol,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  A.  V.  House  of   Worcester,   Miss  Louisa 
Childs  of  Orange,  Charles  H.  Cogswell  of    Wendell,   Mr.  and 
Mrs.  D.  T.  Ellis  of  Bridgeport,  Ct.,   Daniel  Hunt  of  Enfield,  C. 
B.  Estey,    H.    L.    Holden  of   Petersham,   Dr.    Willis   Sibley   of 
Worcester,  Dr.  Clarence  Whitaker  of  Worcester,  E.  C.  HavSkins 
of  Dana,  Eucien  Stone  of  Orange,  Proctor  Whitaker  of  Orange, 
Miss  Clara  Berry  cf  Dana,   Daniel  Beecher,    H.    P.   Billings  of 
Hardwick,  J.  B.  McGibeny  of  Philadelphia,   Eliot  F.   Soule  of 
New  York  city,  Mr  and  Mrs.   W.  H.  Alden  of  New  York  city, 
George  A.  Brown  of  Amherst  college,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  A.  Fay 
of  Athol,  Henry  C.  Ellis  of  Millington,   Mr.  and  Mrs.  Chas.  F. 
Triley  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  Capt.  George  R.  Hanson  of  Green- 
wich Village  and  Miss  C.  C.   Douglass  of  Greenwich,   Clayton 
Grover  of  Dana,  D.  E.  Hunt,  Enfield,   Miss  A.  Tenny,  Millers 
Falls,  Angle  V.  Davis,  Athol,  C.  C.  Brooks,  Orange,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  D.  F.  Carpenter,  Reeds  Ferry,  N.  H.,  Olive  C.  Edwards, 
Holyoke,    John    B.    Farnsworth,    Leominster,   W.  H.  Sawtelle. 
Orange,   Dr.  C.  E.  Smith,   Guy  Drury,   Andrew  Bigelow,    Cor- 
nelius Leonard  of  Athol,   Abbie  A.   Lincoln,   Dana,   Mrs.  Clara 
Rice,  Seymour,  Conn.,  Miss  Ethel  Rice,  Seymour,  Mrs.  Charles 
Grout,  Millington,   Mrs.   Fred  L.   Morrison,    Shutesbury,  R.  S. 
Chaffee,    Enfield,    W.    D.    Stowell,   Levcrett,   Mrs.  W.  Wood, 
Orange,  Mrs.  W.  C.  Willard,  Orange,  H.  O.  Knight,  Uxbridge, 
R.  N.  and  Mrs.  Edna  Doubleday,  No.  Dana,  M.N.  Doubleday, 
North    Dana,   Harriet  E.   Gibbs,    Atlanta,    Georgia,   Lizzie  A. 
Wilbur,   Boston,    Mrs.   R.   E.   Carpenter,   Orange,    Mrs.  D.  A. 
Chickering,  Enfield,  G.  O.   Chickering,   Whitinsville,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Miner  Brown,  Athol,  W.  H.  Sawyer,  Littleton,   Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Charles  Thurber,   Leverett,   M.   L.   Hoyt,    Wendell,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  C.  W.  Felton,  Enfield,  Miss  Lillian  Cogswell,  Enfield, 
A.  Towne,  Springfield,  Mattie  Childs,  Orange. 


ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME 
By  Fayette  W.  Wheeler. 


It  is  with  many  pleasant  emotions  that  I  look  back  upon  the 
years  of  my  boyhood  spent  here  among  you.  I  remember  so 
well  walking  to  church  on  Sundays,  of  the  friendly  greetings, 
of  sitting  in  the  family  pew,  and  listening  to  the  grand  old  an- 
thems sung  by  the  clear,  strong  voices  of  our  choir,  and  how 
much  I  enjoyed  that  music.  Mrs.  Charles  Chandler  presided  at 
the  organ,  while  Mr.  Gill,  and  later  Porter  Eaton,  were  the 
leaders  of  the  choir.  Some  of  the  singers'  voices  are  now 
hushed  forever,  but  the  songs  tliey  sung  still  live  in  my  memory. 
I  love  to  think  of  our  old  pastor,  Rev.  David  Eastman,  and 
family.  He  was  a  minister  of  the  old  school,  refined  and  court- 
eous, preaching  wath  devoted  fervor  the  gospel  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  Then  after  the  morning  service  came 
the  Sunday  school,  of  which  Deacon  Poole,  was  superintendent 
for  many  j-ears.  We  had  few  of  the  modern  Sunda}^  school 
melhods  in  that  school,  but  the  lessons  taught  there  have,  I  am 
sure,  exerted  a  most  salutary  influence  over  many  boys  and 
girls  in  their  after  lives. 

I  recall  most  vividly  my  first  day  at  yonder  academy,  my 
meeting  with  Prof.  Stratton,  the  principal,  and  my  first  impress- 
ion of  academic  life.  I  love  to  think  of  the  lyceum,  and  of  those 
who  took  part  in  the  debates  on  those  momentous  questions, 
many  of  which  originated  in  the  fertile  brains  of  our  committee. 
The  social  gatherings,  the  musicals  and  literary  entertainments, 
the  May  holiday  in  the  woods,   when  we  gathered  the  sweet- 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Uf-  CENTENNIAL.  ^    7 

scented  arbutus,  the  autumnal  field-day.  All  these  form  many 
pleasant  pictures  for  memory  to  dwell  upon.  The  recollections 
of  these  pleasant  scenes  and  associations  are  very  dear  to  me, 
and,  in  the  years  since  spent  in  the  busy  life  of  the  city,  they 
ofttimes  seem  to  me  as  the  shaded  side  of  the  hot  and  dusty  way 
of  life,  or  as  the  grasp  of  a  warm,  friendly  hand  in  a  far  away 
land. 

We  have  assembled  on  this  occasion  to  celebrate  in  an  appro- 
priate manner  the  150th  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  town 
of  New  Salem.  It  was  an  important  event  150  years  ago,  and 
we  do  well  to  thus  honor  the  sturdy  line  of  patriotic  citizens 
who  founded  and  maintained  its  institutions. 

In  order  to  comprehend  the  full  significance  of  this  hour,  and 
understand  the  impelling  force  of  circumstances  which  rendered 
this  celebration  possible,  we  must  consider  the  pious  and  liberty- 
loving  ancestry  from  which  we  sprang,  and  turn  back  to  that 
never-to-be-forgotten  December  day  when  a  band  of  God-fearing 
men  and  women  moored  their  frail  bark  on  the  wild  New  Eng- 
land shore. 

Welcome  back  to  New  Salem,  to  its  academy,  and  all  the  old 
associations  which  cluster  about  this  beautiful  spot.  New  Salem 
has  ever  been  noted  from  the  earliest  days  for  her  generous  hos- 
pitality. She  has  never  yet  been  weighed  in  the  balance  and 
found  wanting,  and  I  feel  certain  that  on  this  occasion  her  citi 
zens  will  maintain  her  well-merited  reputation.    . 

Once  more  all  roads  lead  to  New  Salem,  the  latch-string  is 
out,  and  again  I  extended  to  you  all  a  most  cordial  welcome. 

At  the  morning  session  the  church  was  comfortably  filled, 
while  in  the  afternoon  there  was  not  a  vacant  seat  to  be  found, 
and  it  was  necessary  to  bring  in  chairs  to  accommodate  the  crowd. 

Both  the  outside  of  the  church  and  academy  bore  tasteful  dec- 


8  NEW  SALEM  SESQ (//- CENTENNIAL. 

orations  of  red,  white  and  blue  streamers,  and  interwoven  at  the 
top  with  neat  effect.  The  interior  of  the  church  was  attired  in 
anniversary  gown.  It  has  recentl}-  been  repainted  in  a  fresh 
and  pleasing  tint.  A  new  stage  has  been  erected,  which  adds 
much  to  the  convenience  of  the  edifice.  The  front  of  the  stage 
was  banked  with  goldenrod,  and  these  simple  decorations  were 
in  fine  harmony  with  the  recently  renovated  building. 

Another  interesting  feature,  which  was  much  appreciated  by 
the  man}^  visitors,  was  several  stone  slabs,  properly  marked, 
showing  old  landmarks.  They  are  a  permanent  thing  and  as 
years  go  by  will  be  more  and  more  interesting.  The  site  of  the 
first  church,  near  the  present  one,  was  one  of  the  places  marked, 
as  well  as  the  site  of  the  old  fort  almost  opposite  the  academy, 
"erected  by  the  early  settlers  in  defence  against  Indian  hostil 
ities  in  1740." 

The  large  collection  of  antiques  and  relics  in  the  Academy 
was  visited  by  a  large  number  throughout  the  day.  This  ex- 
hibition was  in  charge  of  Chas.  P.  Johnson,  and  was  one  of  the 
most  creditable  ever  seen  in  this  section.  There  were  multitudes 
of  interesting  things,  averaging  in  age  from  50  to  over  200  years. 
It  is  wonderful  what  an  assortment  could  be  gathered  together, 
and  the  interest  manifested  in  it  was  clearly  shown  by  the 
crowded  condition  of  the  room  throughout  the  entire  day.  Else- 
where we  give  a  partial  list  of  the  collection. 

A  most  enjoyed  portion  of  the  day  was  the  really  fine  music 
by  the  New  Salem  band  which  gave  two  concerts,  from  9  to  10, 
and  from  4  to  5,  as  w^ell  as  selections  in  the  hall  both  morning 
and  afternoon.  The  w^ork  was  very  creditable  indeed  and  the 
musicians  received  hearty  applause  for  their  music.  The  two 
concerts  rendered  were  as  foUow^s: 


NEW  SALEM  SESQUl-CENTENNIAL. 


MORNING. 

March, 

"Tenth  Regiment" 

R.  B.  Hall 

Overture, 

"L'Emotion" 

Bosquier 

Waltzes. 

"Gerbelle" 

Ripley 

March, 

Selected 

Medley  of  War 

Songs, 

Arr, 

.  by  Dalbey 

Finale, 

"The  Jolly  Coasters," 

AFTERNOON. 

Munnell 

March, 

"A  Buffalo  Review" 

Munnell 

Overture, 

"Narragansett" 

Dalbey 

Trombone  Solo, 

Mr.  Arthur  Martfn. 

Selected 

Waltzes, 

"W-netian  ^sights" 

Maresh 

March,  Characteristic,       "Alagazam" 

Holzmann 

Popular  Medley 

"Something  Doing' ' 

Mackie-Beyer 

Finale. 

Anniversary  badges  were  in  great  demand.  They  were  of 
neat  design  and  will  serve  as  pleasant  reminders  of  the  day 
and  event. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the  first  reunion  of  the  Academy 
was  held  29  years  ago  last  Thursday  to  a  day,  and  there  were  a 
number  present  who  were  at  this  reunion. 

Mrs.  R.  K.  Sieg  was  in  her  accustomed  place  near  the  south 
entrance  with  the  bundle  of  Reunion  Banners  and  the  registra- 
tion book.  The  Banner  this  year  was  of  unusual  interest  and 
its  pages  were  eagerly  scanned.  Mrs.  Sieg  was  heartily  com- 
plimented on  the  splendid  success  of  this  number.  It  has 
scarcely  ever  been  equalled. 

Ernest  H.  Vaughan  of  Worcester  made  an  ideal  presiding 
officer.  He  was  full  of  life  and  vigor  and  his  introduction  of 
speakers  and  his  pleasant  way  of  making  announcements  met 


10  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

with  much  favor.  Mr.  Vaughan  as  president  has  been  a  hard 
worker,  despite  his  busy  law  duties  in  Worcester  and  his  re- 
election was  a  deserved  tribute  to  good  and  effective  work.  Mr. 
Vaughan  stated  at  the  anniversary  that  he  could  not  under  any 
circumstances  accept  a  re-election,  as  he  should  probably  be  out 
of  the  country  next  August,  but  the  election  stood  and  probably 
if  Mr.  Vaughan  cannot  be  present  the  vice-president,  Henry  P. 
Billings  of  Hardwick  will  take  charge. 


PRESIDENT  VAUGHAN'S  WELCOME 


In  opening  the  afternoon  exercises,  President  Vaughan  said 
that  there  were  always  many  disappointments  in  life  and  the 
day's  program  was  not  without  them.  He  spoke  feelingly  of 
the  absence  of  Congressman  Gillett  and  of  his  recent  accident. 
Mr.  Vaughan  then  introduced  Councillor  Richard  W.  Irwin  of 
Northampton,  who  delivered  the  oration  of  the  day.  Mr.  Irwin 
proved  to  be  a  delightful  speaker,  intermingling  humor  and  lofty 
references  to  New  England  character,  and  showing  his  versatil- 
ity in  many  ways  throughout  the  address.  He  said  he  brought 
congratulations  direct  from  Gov.  Bates  who,  had  not  another 
engagement  interfered,  would  have  been  present  at  the  anniver- 
sary. Mr.  Irwin  humorously  spoke  of  his  college  classmate,  E. 
H.  Vaughan,  and  said  he  had  always  understood  that  New  Salem 
was  a  very  healthy  place,  that  none  but  visitors  ever  died,  and 
he  sincerely  hoped  he  would  not  be  numbered  among  the  miss- 
ing at  the  close  of  the  day's  exercises.  The  American,  said  the 
speaker,  is  a  composite  of  all  nations;  he  came  from  no  one  in- 
dividually. The  freedom  and  blessings  we  are  now  enjoying 
came  to  us  through  hardships  and  privations  suffered  by  our 
forefathers.  Right  here  in  New  Salem  the  early  settlers  endured 
much,  the  fruits  of  which  the  present  day  residents  are  enjoying. 
The  public  mind  is  influenced  by  argument  slowly,  by  event 
quickly.  It  was  the  event  of  the  Boston  massacre  that  influenced 
the  public  mind,  already  aflame,  to  a  higher  and  more  decisive 
degree.  Mr.  Irwin  spoke  of  the  events  which  liberated  the  En- 
glish speaking  people,  and  of  the  Puritan  fathers  and  their  hard* 
ships  and  sufferings.     The  free  schools  and  free  church  were 


12  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

both  preceded^  by  the  free  ballot.  The  Puritan  contained  the 
germs  of  our  national  greatness.  New  Salem  is  not  like  a  hill 
of  potatoes,  "the  best  part  under  the  ground,"  for  there  are 
many  active,  energetic  people  here  and  it  is  well  shown  by  this 
celebration.     There  were  small  beginnings  and  big  results. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  history  of  the  world  equal  to  the  re- 
sults of  what  the  Puritans  did  many  years  ago.  Mr.  Irwin  told 
of  the  many  acts  of  loyalty  which  occurred  in  Massachusetts  in 
early  days,  and  of  her  record  along  patriotic  lines.  Education 
has  been  the  anchor  to  the  windward  through  its  long  history. 
The  speaker  told  of  the  benefits  of  academic  life  and  the  good 
it  had  done  to  multitudes  of  j^oung  men  and  women.  He  inter- 
spersed his  remarks  throughout  with  spicy  anecdotes  and  pleas- 
ant stories,  and  was  heartily  applauded  at  the  close. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS 

By  Eugene   BulIvArd. 

Concerning  the  history  of  the  territory  occupied  by  the  town 
of  New  Salem,  previous  to  its  occupation  by  the  white  man,  w^e 
know  but  little,  and  to  that  little  nothing  more  will  ever  be 
added.  We  know  that  these  hills  and  valleys  have  existed 
from  the  earliest  periods  of  time.  We  know"  that  the  waters  of 
these  rivers  and  brooks,  have  ever  been  flowing  toward  the 
ocean.  We  know  that  this  whole  region  for  a  hundred  years 
after  the  landing  of  the  pilgrims  at  Plymouth  Rock,  was  an 
unbroken  forest,  an  unexplored  wilderness.  Its  hills  and  valleys 
were  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  tall  pines,  mammoth  hem- 
locks, chestnut,  oak,  birch  and  ash.  And  in  these  primeval 
forests  was  the  home  of  the  bear,  the  panther  and  the  wolf. 
And  on  these  grassy  meadows,  along  the  streams,  was  the  feed- 
ing places  of  the  deer  and  the  moose.  The  wild  turkey  and 
the  partridge  was  to  be  found  everywhere.  The  pickerel  and 
the  trout  were  plenty  in  the  ponds  and  brooks,  and  in  the  spring 
time  the  shad  and  the  salmon  came  up  from  their  home  in  the 
ocean  and  were  abundant  in  all  these  streams. 

The  Indian  had  been  in  possession  of  this  land  for  unnumbered 
generations.  They  were  branches  or  clans  of  the  Nipnets  or 
Nipmuck,  whose  domain  extended  from  Northfield  on  the  north 
to  Springfield  on  the  south.  They  usually  had  no  fixed  place 
of  habitation,  there  was  no  land  in  this  vicinity  upon  which 
they  raised  corn;  they  remained  only  at  one  place  while  the 
game  and  fish  were  plenty.  But  there  were  two  places  upon 
our  territory  that  were  more  prominentl}^  occupied;  one  was  up- 


14  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

on  the  bow  between  the  Spectacle  ponds  near  the  village  of 
South  Athol  and  the  other  at  a  place  called  the  Bears  Den,  near 
the  village  of  North  New  Salem;  the  latter  was  the  general 
camping-place  of  all  the  surrounding  clans.  Here  on  the  north- 
ern cliff  a  hundred  feet  above  the  roaring  waters  of  Swift  river, 
in  times  of  war,  they  met  to  celebrate  their  victories  over  their 
enemies,  and  when  defeated  it  was  here  they  hid  away  in  the 
crevices  of  the  rocks. 

Tradition  tells  us,  and  it  is  confirmed  by  history,  that  King 
Philip  in  the  summer  of  1675.  a  few  days  previous  to  his  attack 
upon  old  Deerfield  was  at  the  "Bears  Den"  for  a  day  or  two, 
and  that  he  gathered  around  him  upon  the  council  ground  the 
chiefs  of  all  the  neighboring  clans,  and  warned  them  of  the  dan- 
ger that  was  before  them,  and  asked  for  their  help  in  driving 
the  white  man  back  into  the  sea  from  whence  he  came.  In  the 
wars  with  the  Indians  previous  to  the  settlement  of  our  town, 
the  white  man  had  been  victorious  in  all  directions  and  the 
Indian  had  learned  that  he  was  his  superior,  and  that  he  was 
here  to  stay;  so  when  our  first  settler  came,  they  made  no  re- 
sistance to  his  coming,  but  were  ever  ready  to  strike  a  blow 
upon  the  new  comer,  when  it  could  be  done  without  danger  to 
himself.  And  while  no  battle  took  place  with  the  Indians  in 
our  town  and  no  lives  were  lost,  the  early  settler  was  for  several 
years  obliged  to  be  ready  at  all  times  to  defend  himself,  his  wife 
and  his  children.  Tradition  tells  us  that  at  the  time  of  the  set- 
tlement of  our  town,  the  number  of  Indians  in  this  vicinity  was 
much  less  than  in  previous  times. 

The  township  of  New  Salem  was  first  granted  to  Joseph  An- 
drews and  others  of  Salem  in  1729,  but  they  did  not  meet  the 
conditions  required,  and  on  December  31,  1734  the  general 
court  granted  to  Daniel  Kpes,  Benjamin  Brown  and  others  living 
in  Salem  a  grant  for  a  township  equal  to  six  miles  square,  and 


NE IV  SALEM  SESQ  Ul-  CENTENNIAL.  75 

• 

later  issued  to  them  another  grant  of  four  thousand  acres.  On 
the  2oth  of  August  1735  the  proprietors  effected  an  organization 
and  located  the  township  upon  the  territory  now  occupied  by 
the  town  of  New  Salem.  The  tract  as  laid  out  was  about  ten 
miles  long  and  31-2  miles  wide,  and  contained  30,060  acres. 
The  additional  tract  was  annexed  to  the  northern  end  of  the 
new  township,  making  it  thirteen  miles  in  length.  Later  it  was 
widened  on  the  west  by  the  annexation  of  a  part  of  Shutesbury. 
It  was  shortened  at  the  south  end  by  the  setting  off  of  a  tract  to 
Prescott.  In  1830  and  1836  large  tracts  were  taken  from  the 
north  and  east  parts  and  annexed  to  Athol  and  Orange 

The  conditions  imposed  upon  the  settlers  of  the  new  township 
were  as  follows,  viz:  Sixty  home  lots  were  to  be  laid  out  in  a 
defensable  manner.  One  lot  was  for  the  home  of  the  minister; 
one  lot  was  for  the  support  of  the  minister;  one  lot  was  for  the 
benefit  of  schools.  Each  settler  was  to  pay  live  lbs.  for  his  lot, 
and  give  bond  for  twenty-five  lbs.,  that  he  would  within  three 
years  build  a  house  seven  foot  stud  and  18  feet  square  and  have 
seven  acres  in  grass  or  grain;  and  that  within  five  years,  they 
should  settle  a  learned  minister.  Whoever  failed  to  comply 
with  these  conditions  forfeited  his  right.  The  land  was  sur- 
veyed and  a  plan  of  the  township  was  made  upon  parchment. 
This  parchment  with  many  other  papers  relating  to  the  early 
history  of  the  town,  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1856.  Thus  most 
that  we  know  concerning  the  first  settlement  our  town  comes 
down  to  us  through  the  uncertain  traditions  of  the  past. 

It  was  nearly  three  years  before  anyone  could  be  induced  to 
settle.  They  eventually  obtained  the  promise  of  Jeremiah 
Meacham  of  Salem  to  make  the  first  settlement;  the  proprietors 
agreeing  to  make  him  a  present  of  10  lbs.  He  came  with  his 
family  in  the  spring  of  1737  and  located  one  mile  north  of  the 
centre  of  the  town  upon  the  farm  now  occupied  by  Frank  A. 


i6  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

Hatstat.  He  first  built  a  log  cabin  and  then  commenced  to  pre- 
pare his  land  for  cultivation.  His  cabin  was  located  upon  the 
spot  now  occupied  by  Mr.  Hatstat's  house.  He  was  a  brave 
man,  and  his  wife  was  like  unto  him,  brave.  This  family  even- 
tually consisted  of  six  sons  and  three  daughters.  Five  of  these 
sons  took  an  honorable  part  in  the  great  struggle  for  independ- 
ance.  In  Pequoig,  ten  miles  to  the  northeast  of  him,  were  a 
few  white  settlers,  but  in  all  other  directions  he  was  twenty 
miles  from  neighbors.  He  was  soon  followed  by  other  brave 
settlers.  Amos  loster  settled  in  the  west  part  of  the  township, 
upon  the  land  now  occupied  by  Charles  A.  Merriam.  Mr.  Fos- 
ter was  three  weeks  in  making  the  journey  from  Salem  with  an 
ox  team,  mostly  through  an  unbroken  wilderness.  His  great- 
grand- daughter,  Mrs.  Abby  Giles  Herrick,  who  is  living  near 
us,  at  an  advanced  age,  is  patiently  awaiting  the  call  of  the 
Master. 

Jeremiah  Ballard  settled  one-fourth  mile  to  the  north  of  the 
centre;  Benjamin  Stacy  located  2  1-2  miles  to  the  south;  Daniel 
Shaw  settled  near  by  him;  Samuel  King  in  the  south-west;  Sam- 
uel Pierce,  Amos  Putnam  and  James  Cook  came  a  year  later. 
In  the  extreme  north  part  of  the  township  one  of  the  first  settlers 
was  Jonathan  Chase;  he  walked  from  Salem  alone  and  brought 
upon  his  shoulder  a  bushel  of  rye  and  in  his  hand  a  heavy  iron 
kettle,  which  contained  the  provisions  for  his  journey.  There 
after  settlers  came  rapidly,  nearly  all  of  them  coming  from  Salem 
and  towns  in  that  vicinity,  and  the  wilderness  here  and  there 
began  to  show  garden  spots,  where  our  forefathers  had  cleared 
away  the  giants  of  the  forest  and  caused  the  earth  to  bring  forth 
its  increase. 

The  first  grist  mill  was  built  by  James  Cook  in  1740  near  the 
farm  now  owned  by  J.  Wells  Wheeler,  two  miles  south  of  the 
centre;   the  original  millstone  is  now  lying  in  the  stream  near 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL.  17 

the  spot  where  the  mill  was  built.  Before  the  building  of  this 
mill,  all  grain  had  to  be  carried  on  horse  back  to  Hadley  on  the 
Connecticut  river,  a  distance  of  sixteen  miles;  the  course  being 
known  by  marked  trees  at  convenient  distances. 

In  the  year  1750  Jeremiah  Ballard  and  Jeremiah  Meacham 
were  granted  a  license  to  erect  a  sawmill  upon  land  belonging 
to  the  proprietors-  This  mill  was  built  in  the  east  part  of  the 
township,  upon  the  middle  branch  of  Swift  river,  near  the  lo- 
cality called  Buffalo. 

The  fear  of  the  Indians,  and  the  stories  of  trouble  with  them 
at  Pequoig  and  other  places  near  by,  caused  much  uneasiness 
among  the  settlers,  and  two  forts  wer^  built,  one  upon  the  pres- 
ent town  farm  and  the  other  near  the  Academy  building,  and 
the  meeting  house  was  so  built  that  it  could  be  used  as  a  refuge 
in  time  of  danger.  The  farmer  carried  to  the  field  his  trust}^ 
rifle,  and  ever  kept  it  near  him.  And  when  they  attended 
divine  worship  they  went  armed,  for  no  one  could  tell  when  the 
Indian  would  come,  and  so  amid  many  privations,  hardships 
and  discouragements  they  watched  and  worked,  and  like  the 
children  of  Israel  in  their  bondage  they  increased  and  thrived. 

In  August  1736  the  proprietors  voted  to  build  a  meetinghouse 
45  ft.  long,  35  ft.  wide  and  20  ft.  stud,  and  each  of  the  proprie- 
tors were  assessed  3  lbs.  to  defray  the  cost  of  building.  The 
house  was  built  in  1739  but  was  not  entirely  finished  for  many 
years.  There  was  a  day  of  great  rejoicing  and  festivity  when 
the  frame  was  raised.  Among  the  items  of  the  day's  expenses, 
were  sugar,  rum,  molasses,  pork,  beef,  butter  and  cheese,  men 
and  horses  from  Hadley,  29  lbs.  13s.  5d.  making  about  $150.00 
of  our  money. 

Many  of  the  settlers  from  time  to  time  went  into  the  service 
of  the  province  against  the  Indians.     The  settlement  furnished 


.t8  NEW  SALEM  SESQUI-CENTENNIAL. 

12  men  for  the  expedition  against  Louisburg  in  1745,  and  they 
all  took  part  in  the  capture  of  the  city. 

On  the  third  of  March  1 753  a  petition  was  presented  to  the 
great  and  general  court  by  Jeremiah  Ballard  and  other  residents, 
asking  for  an  incorporation.  While  all  other  papers  relating  to 
this  subject  are  on  file  in  the  Archives  at  the  State  house,  this 
petition  is  missings  A  remonstrance  signed  by  seven  of  the 
proprietors  was  presented  on  the  22nd  of  March  in  which,  while 
they  do  not  object  to  the  organization,  they  desire  to  correct 
certain  statements  made  by  the  petitioners.  The  petitioners  say 
that  the  proprietors  have  not  finished  the  meeting  house  accord- 
ing to  agreement;  they  reply,  that  the  proprietors  have  paid  to 
John  Gannon,  one  of  the  petitioners',  the  money  for  the  comple- 
tion of  the  meeting  house.  The  petitioners  claim  that  the  meet- 
ings of  the  proprietors  have  not  been  held  in  New  Salem  accord- 
ing to  agreement;  they  answer,  that  they  have  always  been  will- 
ing to  have. them  held  in  New  Salem;  the  petitioners  claim  that 
suitable  roads  have  not  been  built;  they  answer,  that  the  pro- 
prietors have  appropriated  a  suitable  amount  of  money  for  the 
building  of  the  roads,  but  the  act  of  incorporation  was  passed 
on  the  15th  of  June,  and  made  public  on  the  25th  day  of  June. 

Section  ist.  "That  the  township  of  New  Salem  with  the 
additional  grant  made  to  the  township,  be  and  hereby  made  in- 
to a  district  by  the  name  of  New  Salem,  and  the  said  district  is 
invested  with  all  the  privileges,  powders  and  immunities  that 
towns  in  this  province  do  and  may  enjoy,  except  that  of  sending 
a  representative  to  the  general  assembly.  And  "the  inhabitants 
of  said  district  shall  have  full  power  and  right,  from  time  to  time, 
until  further  order  of  this  court,  to  join  with  the  town  of  Sunder- 
land in  the  choice  of  a  representative,  and  that  said  district  shall 
pay  their  just  part  of  the  expense  oi  a  representative  according 
to  their  proportionate  part  of  the  province  tax  and  that  the  town 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL.  ig 

of  Sunderland  as  often  as  they  shall  call  a  meeting  for  the  choice 
of  a  representative  shall  give  notice  to  the  clerk  of  said  district, 
for  the  time  and  place  of  holding  said  meeting,  to  the  end,  that 
said  district  my  join  with  them,  and  the  clerk  of  said  district 
shall  set  up  in  some  public  place  a  notification  thereof  accord- 
ingly. 

Skction  2nd.  Ail  of  the  lands  shall  be  taxed  one  penny  per 
acre,  for  the  space  of  three  years,  and  all  the  moneys  thereby 
raised,  shall  be  employed  in  finishing  the  meeting  house,  re- 
pairing the  roads,  and  defraying  other  public  charges. 

Section  3rd.  That  Elieyar  Porter,  Esq.,  is  hereby  empow- 
ered to  issue  his  warrant,  directed  to  some  principal  inhabitant 
in  said  district,  to  meet  at  such  time  and  place  as  he  shall  ap- 
point, to  choose  all  officers  as  they  are  allowed  to  choose,  for 
the  transaction  of  the  affairs  of  said  district." 

The  warrant  of  Esq.  Porter,  the  original  of  which  is  in  the 
Archives  at  the  State  House,  reads  as  follows: 

"To  Capt.  Jeremiah  Ballard,  you  are  therefore  to  will  and  re- 
quire, in  his  majesties  name,  to  give  reasonable  notice  to  all  in- 
habitants of  this  district,  that  are  qualified  to  vote  in  town  and 
district  meetings,  that  they  assemble  and  meet  together  at  the 
meeting  grove,  on  the  day  of  the  5th  of  July  next  at  one  of  the 
clock  in  the  afternoon,  then  and  there  to  make  choice  of  a  mod- 
erator, and  all  such  officers  as  towns  and  districts  are  allowed  to 
choose,  for  the  conducting  of  their  affairs. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  seal,  this  28th  day  of  June  1753,  in 
the  twenty-seventh  day  of  his  majesty's  reign, 

EiviEYAR  Porter,  Justice  of  the  Peace." 

The  record  of  that  meeting  as  well  as  all  subsequent  meetings 
for  one  hundred  and  three  years  were  lost  by  fire. 

George  II  was  at  that  time  King  of  England  and  the  Eieut. 
Gov.  of  the  province,  who  was  appointed  by  the  King,   was 


20  NEW  SALEM  SESQUI-CENTENNIAL. 

Spencer  Phipps,  The  central  figure  in  the  affairs  of  the  town- 
ship at  this  time  appears  to  be  Capt.  Jeremiah  Ballard,  and  I  can 
count  in  this  audience  today,  twenty  of  his  descendants. 

The  population  of  the  township  at  this  time  was  about  two 
hundred  and  fifty. 


1765 

375 

1820 

2145 

1870 

987 

1776 

910 

1830 

1889 

1880 

869 

1790 

1543 

1840 

1305 

1890 

856 

1800 

1949 

1850 

1253 

1900 

809 

I8IO 

2107 

i860 

957 

While  there  has  been  some  reduction  in  the  population  of  our 
town,  from  causes  which  have  made  a  reduction  in  all  of  the 
hill  towns  in  our  vicinity,  our  great  decrease  is  owing  to  the 
annexation  of  our  territory  to  other  towns,  had  our  territory  re- 
mained the  same,  our  population  today  would  have  been  3100 
(thirty-one  hundred.) 

By  a  general  act  of  the  Legislature  the  district  became  a  town 
August  23,  1775. 

When  the  war  of  the  Revolution  came  it  found  the  men  of 
New  Salem  ready.  The  news  of  the  battle  of  Lexington  flew 
throughout  New  England  like  wild-fire,  the  swift  horseman  with 
his  red  flag  proclaimed  it  in  every  town  and  village.  When  the 
news  of  the  battle  reached  New  Salem  the  people  were  hastily 
assembled  on  the  village  green  by  the  notes  of  alarm,  every  man 
came  with  his  gun  and  other  preparations  for  a  short  march. 
The  militia  of  the  town  were  then  divided  into  two  companies, 
one  of  which  was  commanded  by  Capt.  Goodell;  this  company 
was  paraded  before  much  consultation  had  been  had  upon  the 
proper  steps  to  be  taken,  and  while  determination  was  expressed 
upon  almost  every  countenance,  the  men  stood  silently  leaning 
on  their  muskets,  awaiting  the  movement  of  the  spirit  in  their 
officers.     The  Capt.  was  supposed  to  be  tinctured  with  toryism 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Ul-  CENTENNIAL.  21 

and  his  present  indecision  and  backwardness  were  ample  proof 
if  not  of  his  attachment  to  royalty,  at  least  of  his  unfitness  to 
lead  a  patriot  band;  some  murmurs  began  to  be  heard,  when  the 
I  St  lyieut.  William  Stacy,  took  off  his  hat  and  began  to  address 
them,  he  was  a  man  of  stout  heart  but  of  few  words.  Pulling  his 
commission  from  his  pocket  he  said  "Fellow  soldiers  I  don't 
know  exactly  how  it  is  with  the  rest  of  3^ou  but  for  one,  I  will 
no  longer  sen^e  a  king  who  murders  my  own  countrymen,"  and 
tearing  the  paper  in  a  hundred  pieces,  he  trod  it  under  his  foot. 
Sober  as  were  the  people  by  nature,  they  could  not  restrain  a 
wild  hurrah  as  he  stepped  forward  and  took  his  place  in  the 
ranks.  Capt.  Goodell  made  a  feeble  endeav^or  to  restore  order, 
but  they  heeded  him  as  little  as  the  winds.  The  company  was 
summarily  disbanded  and  a  reorganization  took  place  on  the 
spot.  The  gallant  Stacy  was  chosen  captain,  the  company  voted 
at  once  to  march  to  the  seat  of  war,  which  was  done  before  the 
next  night.  Capt.  Stacy  served  through  the  war  and  rose  to 
the  rank  of  Lieutenant  Colonel.  He  received  from  General 
Washington  a  present  of  a  gold  snuff  box.  Soon  after  the  war 
he  removed  to  the  far  west,  and  was  killed  by  the  Indians  near 
Marrietta,  Ohio. 

There  is  in  the  archives,  in  the  State  House  at  Boston,  the 
names  of  about  142  men  from  New  Salem  who  served  in  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  Benjamin  Haskell  was  at  the  battle  of 
Bunker  Hill.  He  was  near  Gen.  Warren  when  he*  fell  and 
assisted  in  carrying  him  from  the  field.  Two  of  his  grandsons 
are  with  us  today. 

Two  boys  from  the  north-east  part  of  the  town,  James  Win- 
ship  and  Henry  Foster,  stood  behind  Ethan  Allen  when  with 
that  big  oath  he  demanded  the  surrender  of  old  Ticonderoga. 
They  followed  him  past  the  islands  of  I^ake  Champlain  into  the 
Richelieu  River  and  up  into  the  city  of  Montreal,  where   they 


22  NE IV  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

met  their  terrible  defeat.  James  Winship  went  into  imprison- 
ment with  his  brave  leader.  Henry  Foster  was  fatally  wounded, 
but  managed  to  escape  across  the  St.  Lawrence  river,  with  a  few 
survivors  of  the  expedition;  he  died  in  the  night,  and  as  the 
first  rays  of  daylight  were  coming  from  the  east  they  buried  his 
body  in  the  sand,  without  a  word  of  prayer  or  benediction  they 
left  him  alone  in  his  glory. 

Aaron  Hager  was  at  the  battle  of  Bennington.  Jesse  Trask 
was  at  Stillwater  and  Saratoga.  Jacob  Tyrrell  was  at  White 
Plains  and  Monmouth  and  Valley  Forge.  Lieut.  Samuel  Mann- 
ing stood  behind  Washington  at  Yorktown.  Capt.  Jeremiah 
Ballard,  son  of  the  early  settler  of  the  same  name,  commanded  a 
company  composed  of  men  from  this  and  the  surrounding  towns. 
This  company  was  for  a  time  in  the  ser\dce  in  the  northern 
country,  the  particulars  of  which  we  are  unable  to  give. 

Capt.  Jacob  Sampson  commanded  a  company  in  the  northern 
campaigns,  and  later  represented  the  town  in  the  General  Court. 
His  great  grand-daughter,  Mrs.  R.  K.  Seig,  has  a  prominent 
part  in  our  exercises  today.  William  Knight  was  at  Benning- 
ton.    Aaron  Forbush  was  at  Whiteplains  and  Valley  forge. 

In  October,  1777,  one  division  of  the  Hessian  prisoners,  num- 
bering 1000  men  who  were  captured  with  Gen.  Burgoyn,  passed 
through  the  north  part  of  the  town  on  their  journey  from 
Greenfield  to  Petersham.  Thomas  Andrews  gave  to  all  these 
men  a  supply  of  apples  from  his  orchard.  These  apples  were  of 
the  very  poorest  quality,  but  they  were  very  acceptable  to  the 
prisoners.  Several  of  these  men  remained  in  this  town  and 
in  Petersham,  all  of  whom  took  unto  themselves  American 
wives,  and  today  several  of  their  descendants  are  numbered 
among  the  residents  of  this  towm.  Some  suitable  point  in  their 
journey  will  be  marked,  so  that  this  incident  will  be  remembered 
by  our  descendants. 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CEN2ENNIAL.  23 

We  who  are  living  in  our  homes  today,  enjoying  all  the  com- 
forts of  modern  improvements,  do  not  realize  all  the  hardships 
and  privations  of  our  forefathers.  For  them  it  was  a  hard  life, 
a  life  of  unending  toil.  They  had  but  few  books;  the  news- 
paper was  almost  unknown. 

Previous  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence  t-here  were  but 
t'wo  holidays  in  the  year.  Thanksgiving  and  Fast,  which  were 
observed  in  a  most  solemn  and  devout  manner.  For  Christmas 
they  had  no  use;  they  fully  believed  that  the  old  province  law 
was  right,  which  imposed  a  fine,  also  imprisonment,  for  anyone 
who  should  make  any  observance  of  Christmas.  Notwithstand- 
ing all  the  disadvantages  surrounding  them,  they  were  the 
ancestors  of  a  noble  band  of  men  and  women,  who  made  this 
town  the  leading  town  in  the  county,  of  men  and  women  who 
went  away  to  the  north,  to  the  east,  to  the  south  and  to  the  west. 
And  they  and  their  descendants  have  done  much  toward  mould- 
ing the  institutions  of  our  country.  There  are  in  the  United 
States  eleven  post-ofhces  named  New  Salem,  all  named  for  our 
town. 

For  a  period  of  more  than  thirty  years  after  the  close  of  the 
Revolutionary  War,  this  town  gained  rapidly  in  population  and 
in  business.  The  merchants  were  wide-awake,  progressive 
men,  and  trade  came  from  all  surrounding  towns.  The  farmers 
were  intelligent,  and  cultivated  their  lands  to  good  profit.  All 
surplus  products,  such  as  pork,  beef,  poultry,  butter  and  cheese, 
found  a  market  in  Boston,  and  when  the  farmer  returned  from 
market  he  brought  with  him  his  winter's  supply  of  groceries. 
Some  of  the  best  lawyers  and  physicians  of  the  state  were  lo- 
cated here.  There  were  two  tanneries  in  town,  one  near  the 
centre,  which  was  burned  in  1853,  and  one  at  North  New  vSalem, 
which  continued  in  business  till  i860.  In  days  previous  to 
railroads,  a  large  amount  of  lumber  and  shingles  w^ere  sent  to 


24  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

Cobb's  Landing  on  the  Connecticut  River,  from  whence  a  large 
part  was  sent  to  the  West  Indies. 

Previous  to  1812,  New  Salem  was  a  part  of  Hampshire  County, 
and  the  people  of  this  town  took  an  active  part  in  the  establish- 
ment of  the  new  county.  At  that  time  the  population  was 
larger  than  any  other  town  in  the  county. 

Massachusetts  was  not  in  favor  of  the  war  of  181 2,  and  Gov. 
Strong  refused  to  call  out  any  of  the  military  companies  of  the 
state,  except  for  the  defence  of  the  coast.  A  few  men  from  this 
town  enlisted  into  the  regular  army.  Among  them  was  Moses 
Pierce,  who  was  at  Plattsburg,  and  Leonard  Curtis,  who  fol- 
lowed Gen.  Scott  in  the  campaign  in  Canada.  He  took  part  in 
the  battles  of  Lundy's  Lane  and  Chippeway.  At  Chippeway 
he  lost  a  leg,  and  for  many  j-ears  received  a  suitable  pension. 
To  him  I  am  indebted  for  much  unwritten  history  of  the  war  of 
1812.  On  the  afternoon  of  August  5th,  1813,  a  horseman  came 
galloping  into  town  with  an  order  from  Gov.  Strong  that  a  com- 
pany of  militia  should  be  immediately  sent  to  Boston,  as  the 
British  had  landed  nearby,  and  were  threatening  the  city. 
There  were  at  that  time  in  this  town  three  military  companies. 
It  was  immediately  decided  that  the  company  of  which  Eben- 
ezer  Torr>^  was  captain  should  be  sent.  These  men  were  mostly 
from  the  north  and  east  parts  of  the  town.  James  Day  was  fifer 
and  Thomas  Shaw  was  drummer  of  this  company.  During  the 
night,  the  men  composing  the  company  were  notified  to  appear 
at  the  store  of  William  Whitaker,  at  10  a.  m.,  on  the  following 
day,  armed  and  equipped  as  the  law  required,  with  three  days' 
rations.  The  men  were  all  there  with  the  exception  of  four, 
whose  places  were  immediately  filled  with  volunteers.  The 
company  numbered  78  men.  Captain  Torry,  owing  to  the  dan- 
gerous illness  of  his  wife,  was  unable  to  go,  and  the  command 
went   to  Lieutenant  William   Whittaker.     A   large   number  of 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UT-  CENTENNIAL.  ^5 

Sriends  and  neighbors  witnessed  their  departure.  Many  of  the 
.men  went  with  the  expectation  that  they  should  never  return. 
They  expected  they  should  soon  meet  on  the  battlefield  the 
veteran  soldiers  of  England,  At  12  o'clock,  noon,  the  line  was 
formed,  and  six  gallons  of  the  favorite  drink  of  the  day  was 
passed  to  the  men^  and  amid  the  loud  hurrahs  of  the  men, 
women  and  -children,  th^y  coinmenx:ed  their  march.  They 
camped  the  first  night  at  Petersham,  and  on  the  evening  of  the 
third  day  they  passed  in  review  before  Gov.  Strong  on  "Boston 
Common,"  Lieutenant  Whittaker  was  personally  complimented 
by  Gov,  Strong  for  the  fine  appearanx:e  of  his  men  and  for  their 
promptness  in  responding  to  the  call.  But  the  British,  learning 
of  the  preparations  for  their  reception,  retreated  to  their  ships 
and  sailed  away.  The  company  remained  in  the  vi-cinity  of 
Boston  two  months,  and  were  then  discharged  and  sent  to  their 
homes.  Two  of  them,  Samuel  Haskell  and  Jason  Phinney, 
made  the  journey  on  foot  in  23  hours.  In  1855,  ^^  the  survivors 
of  these  men,  and  their  surviving  widows,  were  granted  by 
Congress  a  warrant  of  160  acres  of  Government  land> 

In  1814,  Gov.  Strong  ordered  a  draft  for  a  regiment  of  soldiers, 
for  the  defence  of  the  coast  of  Massachusetts,  from  the  towns  of 
this  vicinity,  with  orders  to  report  at  New  Salem  for  organiza- 
tion. The  draft  was  made  on  Sunday,  September  12th.  The 
men  drafted  from  New^  Salem  were:  William  Smith,  John 
Shaw,  Samuel  Shaw,  Joseph  Shaw,  Asa  Powers,  John  Powers^ 
John  Fay  and  Andrew  Newell.  Among  the  officers  of  the  reg- 
iment were  Samuel  Putnam  of  New  Salem,  paymaster,  and  Rev» 
Alpheus  Harding,  of  New  Salem,  chaplain.  A  few  of  the 
drafted  men  obtained  substitutes  and  one  or  two  paid  their 
commutation  money,  $50.00,  with  which  substitutes  were 
readily  obtained.  Two  or  three  days  were  spent  in  New  Salem 
in  organizing  the  regiment,  during  which  time  it  rained  almost 


26  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

incessantly,  and  on  Friday  morning  the  regiment  left  New 
Salem  amid  the  shouts  and  huzzars  of  about  five  hundred 
people,  who  had  assembled  to  witness  their  departure.  On 
Tuesday,  the  20th,  the}-  arrived  in  Boston^  and  reported  to  the 
Adjutant  General-  This  regiment  was  kept  in  Boston  about  a 
month. 

In  1830-31,  when  it  was  proposed  to  build  a  railroad  from 
Boston  to  Worcester,  there  was  great  excitement  in  this  and  the 
jieighboring  towns.  They  said  "the  cost  of  building  the  road 
would  ruin  the  country;  there  would  be  no  use  for  horses,  and 
everything  would  go  to  ruin."  The  representative  to  the  Gen- 
eral Court  was  Ebenezer  Torry,  a  man  of  great  intelligence  and 
discernment,  and  who  for  many  years  had  held  many  of  the 
offices  in  the  town.  When  he  came  home  at  the  close  of  the 
term,  he  told  them  how  he  had  worked  and  voted  for  the  rail- 
road, and  of  the  benefit  it  would  be  to  the  country,  but  the  men 
of  New  Salem  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  him;  it  ended  his 
political  life.  He  could  never  again  be  elected  to  any  office. 
More  than  60  years  ago,  we  heard  the  old  man  tell  the  story  of 
his  defeat  and  predict  that  railroads  would  become  common  all 
over  this  country. 

For  many  years  pre\dous  to  the  building  of  the  Vermont  & 
Massachusetts  railroad  through  the  towns  of  Athol  and  Orange 
there  was  a  line  of  six-horse  stage  coaches  from  Brattleboro  to 
Worcester,  which  passed  through  this  town.  One  of  the  stage 
drivers  and  proprietors  of  the  route  was  Ginery  Twitchell, 
whose  birthplace  and  early  home  was  here.  Later  he  became 
president  of  the  Boston  &  Albany  railroad,  and  was  for  four 
years  a  member  of  Congress  from  one  of  the  Boston  districts. 

In  1843  and  1844,  several  families  in  this  town  were  converted 
to  the  Mormon  faith  and,  in  the  spring  of  1846,  about  35  per- 
sons, with  six  two-horse  teams,  commenced   their   journey  for 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Ul-  CENTENNIAL.  27 

Nauvoo,  111.,  and  expecting  later  to  go  with  the  Mormon  people 
to  California,  then  a  province  of  Mexico.  I  saw  the  departure 
of  these  people  and,  with  a  boy's  curiosity,  I  wondered  where 
they  were  going  and  w^iat  they  were  going  for.  Some  of  these 
people  are  yet  living  in  Utah.  Joseph  Woodbury,  with  his 
family,  returned  after  an  absence  of  two  years.  He  returned 
with  the  same  horses,  harnesses  and  wagon  that  carried  him  to 
Nauvoo;  but  he  did  not  come  back  a  Mormon.  I^ater  he  be- 
came a  minister  of  the  Methodist  church.  Among  the  number 
who  went  with  the  Mormons  was  the  family  of  Greene  Haskell- 
Although  not  a  believer  in  Mormonism,  Mr.  Haskell  could  not 
bear  the  separation  from  his  wife  and  children,  so  he  decided  to 
go  to  California  and  await  the  coming  of  the  Mormon  people, 
who  were  expected  to  arrive  a  year  or  two  later.  He  went  to 
Boston  and  sailed  with  Captain  Sutter.  They  were  nine  months 
in  making  the  passage,  forty  days  of  which  time  was  occupied 
in  getting  around  Cape  Horn.  He  assisted  Captain  Sutter  in 
building  a  mill  on  one  of  the  branches  of  the  Sacramento.  As 
he  was  standing  by  the  flowing  water,  which  was  making  a 
channel  from  the  mill-wheel  to  the  main  stream,  he  discovered 
the  beautiful  gold  shining  brightly  in  the  water,  and  the  news 
spread  rapidly  all  over  the  world. 

In  the  great  Rebellion,  the  story  of  which  is  familiar  to  many 
who  are  here  today.  New  Salem  did  her  full  share.  The  town 
furnished  one  hundred  and  thirteen  men,  twelve  of  whom  never 
returned,  and  today  their  bones  lie  mingled  with  the  soil  of 
nearly  every  southern  state.  The  men  of  New  Salem  were  in 
nearly  all  of  the  important  engagements  of  the  war.  They 
w^ere  at  Roanoke  Island  and  Newburn,  at  Fair  Oaks  and  Seven 
Pines,  at  Fredericksburg  and  Antietam,  Port  Hudson  and  Vicks- 
burg,  with  Grant  in  all  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  and  they 
stood  by  and  saw  the  closing  scenes  at  the  surrender  of  Lee. 


£S  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ l/I-CENTENNIAL. 

Adolphus  Porter  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Newburn,  sent 
home  and  granted  a  pension.  He  soon  threw  away  his  pension^ 
enlisted  again,  and  served  to  the  end  of  the  war,  William  N, 
Dexter  was  for  nearl}^  a  year  a  prisoner  at  Andersonville.  Foster 
Smith  was  killed  at  one  of  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness.  At 
the  attack  on  Port  Hudson,  June  i^th,  1863,  Walter  T,  Putnam 
was  killed.  John  Tyler  Bliss  was  killed  in  one  of  the  battles 
before  Richmond,  Albert  B-liss,  whose  regiment  was  in  one  of 
the  mottntaihs  of  Tennessee,  was  granted  a  furlough  to  come 
home  and  visit  his  wife  and  children.  He  died  on  the  journey, 
but  his  companions  tenderly  brought  with  them  his  body  and 
buried  it  among  his  kindred.  David  Bliss  died  at  one  of  the 
hospitals  at  Washington.  Elliott  Towne  died  in  Fredericksburg, 
in  1863.  Upon  a  tablet  in  the  cemetery  in  North  New  Salem 
is  the  following  pathetic  inscription:  To  the  memory  of  William 
Leighton,  who  died  at  Yorktown,  Va,,  May,  1863,  aged  15 
years. 

The  soldiers  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  were  Austin  A.  Has- 
kell 42d  regiment,  Henry  Holley,  Jason  Hanson,  Frank  M. 
Connor,  Charles  Vaughn  21st,  James  Fleet  2d,  James  Golden  2d, 
Charles  Scott  2d,  Albert  Fleshman  2d,  Lewis  Chombard  i8th, 
Victor  Dupon  2d,  Francis  Marshead  2d,  Francis  W.  Neevill  26th, 
David  Hutchinson  2d,  Charles  Axworthy  2d,  Wilbur  H.  Hale  2d, 
George  H.  Smith  2d,  F.  A.  Blodgett  31st,  Elbridge  Smith  31st, 
Charles  B,  Bliss  ist  H.  A.,  James  Bailey  24th  H.  A.,  Henry 
Winslow  2d,  Wilson  Upton  2d,  Charles  E.  Tupper  31st,  A.  A. 
Bliss  2ist,  H.  D,  Bliss  21st,  W.  H.  Sawin  21st,  Joseph  W.  Hay- 
den  2 1  St,  F.  S.  Day  27th,  D.  W.  Joyslen  27th,  Adolphus  Porter 
27th,  A.  P.  Peirce  27th,  Jesse  Stranger  ist,  William  Harvey 
2 1  St,  Erastus  Weeks  21st,  Charles  Davis  27th,  Charles  Griffin 
27th,  Oscelow  Goodnow  27th,  Alvin  Clark  26th,  A.  R.  Clark 
26th,  Da\4d  Bliss  15th,  Charles  M.  Stevens  31st,  A.  M.  Russell 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CEN7ENNIAL.  2g 

31st,  Lyman  H olden  31st,  S.  P.  Williams  31st,  C.  Upton  31st, 
H.  C.  Joyslen  31st,  F.  W.  Newland  31st,  Asa  F.  Richards  31st, 
Aibrona  Baldwin  36th,  H.  S.  Smith  53d,  Reuben  Gibson  53d, 
W.  T.  Putnam  53d,  A.  E.  Town  53d,  James  L.  Powers  53d, 
D.  Hamilton  Jr.  53d,  F.  E.  Stratton  53d,  George  C.  Warner  53d, 
Charles  Fisher  53d,  V.  V.  Vaughn  53d,  F.  C.  Thompson  53d, 
Emory  Haskins  24th,  Lyman  C.  Gibbs  21st,  D.  E.  Morrison 
31st,  J.  F.  Freeman  53d,  A.  A.  Washburn  52d,  J.  G.  Hayden3ist, 
William  N.  Dexter  27th,  Dwight  Freeman  27th,  Abel  Rawson 
36th,  William  Leighton  2d  Cav.,  F.  H.  Bliss  53d,  John  T.  Bliss 
27th,  William  Bliss  27th.  Lafayette  Smith  31st,  Henry  Weeks 
27th,  A.  W.  King  36th,  Daniel  Bosworth  27th,  E.  E.  Giles  27th, 
Lourin  Ramsdell  27th,  James  W.  Hayden  21st,  L.  D.  Phillips 
32d,  H.  L.  Freeman  27th,  George  Harding  24th,  Jessie  Haskins 
53d,  H.  W.  Amsden  53d,  Charles  P.  Bliss  53d,  L.  P.  Sampson 
ist,  Arad  Johnson  34th,  George  R.  Hanson  20th,  James  V. 
Smith  ist,  H.  D.  Haskell  ist,  Samuel  Hoitt  31st,  William  H. 
Pierce  27th,  Charles  Reynolds  27th,  George  W.  Harding  21st, 
Jesse  Hayden  21st,  Merriam  King  21st,  Reuben  Weeks  21st, 
M.  L.  Chamberlain  3d,  A.  P.  Wheeler  31st,  William  Hemming- 
way  31st,  Foster  Hanson  31st. 

The  following  were  either  killed  or  died  in  the  service:  Wil- 
liam Leighton,  Lafayette  Smith,  Arad  Johnson,  Charles  Rey- 
nolds, L.  D.  Phillips,  W.  T.  Putnam,  A.  E.  Town,  Charles  E. 
Tupper,  A.  A.  Bliss,  J.  W.  Hayden,  David  Bliss,  C.  A.  Stevens. 

In  the  late  war  with  Spain  our  representative  Ola  N.  Cole 
followed  close  behind  the  "rough  rider"  at  El  Caney  and  San 
Juan. 

Although  our  town  made  an  early  appropriation  for  schools, 
from  the  stand  point  of  today,  we  should  say  that  these  schools 
were  not  of  a  high  order.  About  eight  weeks  in  winter  and  pos- 
sibly  as  much  in  summer  was  considered  a  liberal  amount  of 


JO  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

schooling;  it  was  almost  impossible  to  obtain  suitable  teachers 
previous  to  the  time  of  New  Salem  Academy.  In  1780  the  town 
was  divided  into  16  school  districts,  which  remained  about  the 
same  for  nearly  a  hundred  years.  The  districts  held  an  annual 
meeting  at  which  time  a  clerk  and  prudential  committee  were 
chosen.  The  prudential  committee  hired  the  teachers  and  taxes 
were  assessed  upon  the  district  for  the  building  and  repair  of 
school  housesb^'  a  vote  of  the  district.  One  hundred  years  ago 
the  salary  of  the  female  teachers  was  from  $1.25  to  $1.50  per 
week  and  often,  when  money  was  scarce,  the  teacher  boarded 
around,  that  is,  the  families  would  board  the  teacher  for  a  week 
or  more  without  pay,  and  I  have  heard  some  of  these  teachers 
sa}^  it  was  a  very  pleasant  experience  to  them.  The  families 
usually  doing  their  best  to  make  the  teacher's  stay  pleasant  and 
agreeable.  The  mcney  raised  for  support  of  schools  was  usually 
divided  among  the  districts  by  the  following  plan;  one  third  to 
each  district,  one  third  in  proportion  to  number  of  scholars  in 
each  district  and  one  third  in  proportion  to  valuation  of  each 
district. 

I  have  several  times  spoken  of  the  military  companies  of  the 
town.  From  1760  to  1835  all  able  bodied  men  from  eighteen  to 
forty-five  years  of  age,  were  obliged  to  belong  to  a  military 
compan}'  and  to  meet  on  the  last  Wednesdays  of  May  and  Oct- 
ober and  at  such  other  times  as  should  be  specially  appointed 
for  military  drill,  or  as  it  was  said  in  those  days  for  "training." 
For  man}^  years  there  w^ere  three  companies,  and  in  the  years  of 
vcvw  earliest  remembrance,  there  was  in  our  town  more  than  a 
score  of  Colonels,  Majors,  Captains  and  I^ieutenants.  I  should 
say  from  what  I  have  learned  from  a  former  generation  that  this 
duty  was  considered  a  pleasant  one.  The  officers  of  the  com- 
pany were  expected  to  furnish  such  refreshments  as  the  customs 
of  the  time  demanded;   and  in  choosing  their  officers,  the  ques- 


IVEW  SALEM  SESQUI-CENIENNIAL.  31 

tion  was  often  discussed,  "will  this  man  be  liberal  in  treating." 
The  companies  were  formed  into  a  regiment  with  companies 
from  the  surrounding  towns,  and  once  a  year  they  met  at  a  con- 
venient place  for  "muster"  as  it  was  called.  The  law  concern- 
ing the  dress,  equipments,  and  general  appearance  of  the  men 
was  very  strict,  it  was  as  follows,  viz:  for  non-appearance  on  ist 
Tuesday  of  May  a  fine  of  $3.00;  non-appearance  at  any  company 
training  $2.00;  deficiency  of  gun,  bayonet  or  ramrod  $1.00;  de- 
ficiency of  cartridge-box,  cartridges  or  knapsack  30c;  deficiency 
of  two  spare  flints  or  priming  wire  20c;  disorderly  firing,  not 
more  than  $20  nor  less  than  $5;  neglecting  to  meet  to  choose 
officers  $1;  disorderly  behaviour  $20;  neglect  of  regimental  duty 
$4;  giving  false  information  or  refusing  to  give  names  of  persons 
liable  to  do  military  duty  $20;  unmilitary  conduct  of  musicians 
not  more  than  $20,  nor  less  than  $10;  neglect  of  towns  in  pro- 
viding ammunition  not  more  than  $500,  nor  less  than  $20; 
neglect  in  wearing  uniform  $2;  for  release,  when  ordered  to 
march  if  paid  within  twenty-four  hours,  $50.00. 

One  hundred  years  ago  insurance  of  buildings  was  a  thing 
unknown  to  our  people.  When  a  house  was  destroyed  by  fire, 
the  neighbors  and  townsmen  of  the  unfortunate  man  immediate- 
ly assisted  in  rebuilding  his  home.  The  destruction  of  houses 
by  fire  was  very  seldom  in  comparison  with  that  of  the  present 
day. 

On  a  Monday  night  in  the  summer  of  1801  the  house  of  Pale- 
tiah  Day  was  destroyed  by  fire;  on  Wednesday  fifty  of  his  neigh- 
bors w^ent  to  his  wood  lot,  timber  for  a  new  house  was  hewn, 
and  the  shingles  made;  on  Thursday  the  frame  was  raised;  on 
Friday  the  shingles  were  put  on,  the  walls  were  enclosed  and 
the  floor  of  the  kitchen  was  laid;  on  Saturday  he  moved  into  his 
new  house  with  such  furniture  as  his  neighbors  were  able  to 
give  him;  on  Saturday  evening  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  of 


32  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

his  neighbors  and  friends  came  to  congratulate  him,  and  all  of 
the  matrons  and  maidens  and  the  men  and  boys  took  part  in  the 
festive  dance. 

As  the  population  of  the  town  largely  increased,  the  want  of  a 
higher  and  more  liberal  education  than  afforded  by  the  district 
schools,  became  apparent.  The  subject  in  all  its  phases  was  for 
several  years  discussed  and  at  the  same  time  the  building  of  a 
new  church  to  take  the  place  of  the  one  built  sixty  years  before. 
Among  those  who  took  a  prominent  part  in  this  discussion  were 
Rev.  Joel  Foster,  Dea.  Thomas  Kendall,  Varney  Pierce  Esq. 
and  Ezekiel  Kellogg  Jr.  Esq.  At  a  town  meeting  held  on  the 
14th  day  of  January  1793,  a  committee  was  appointed  who  at  a 
subsequent  meeting  reported,  that  the  town  should  move  the  old 
meeting  house  to  the  north-east  corner  of  the  common,  so  as  to 
be  suitable  for  an  Academy  and  town  house.  The  Academy 
was  to  be  on  the  first  floor  and  the  town  house  on  the  second 
floor.  The  Academy  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the  Legis- 
lature February  25,  1795.  Samuel  Adams  was  at  that  time  Gov. 
of  Massachusetts.  This  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  Oct.  4, 
1837  and  in  1838  another  building  was  erected  to  be  used  only 
as  an  Academy.  The  trustees  mentioned  in  the  act  of  incorpor- 
ation were  Rev.  Joel  Foster,  Rev.  Soloman  Read,  Rev.  Joseph 
Blodget,  Rev.  Joseph  Kilburn,  David  Smead  Esq.,  John  Golds- 
bury  Esq.,  Jonathan  Warner  Esq.,  David  Sexton  Esq.,  Eben- 
ezer  Mattoon  Jr.  Esq.,  David  Blodget  Esq.,  Martin  Kingsley 
Esq.,  Ezekiel  Kellogg  Jr.  Esq.,  Samuel  Kendell,  Varney  Pierce 
and  Asa  Merriam. 

The  first  meeting  of  trustees  was  at  the  hotel  of  Dea.  Samuel 
Kendell,  July  7,  1795  at  12  o'clock  noon.  Among  the  rules 
passed  at  the  meeting  was  the  following,  viz:  "That  the  tuition 
shall  not  exceed  one  shilling  per  week." 


NEW  SALEM  SESQUl-CENTENNTAL. 


33 


At  a  later  meeting  it  was  voted  to  advertise  the  school  in  the 
two  newspapers  published  in  Worcester,  also  in  Thomas  Alma- 
nac. The  first  principal  of  the  Academy  was  Fowler  Dickinson. 
He  has  been  followed  by  forty-six  successors;  most  ol  them  have 
been  good  scholars  and  successful  teachers. 

PRECEPTORS  OF  NEW  SAI^EM  ACADEMY. 


Name. 

Fowler  Dickinson 

Residence. 

Amherst 

Graduated. 

Dartmouth 

Commenced 
Office. 

1795 

Proctor  Pierce 

New  Salem 

•<  ( 

1796 

Joel  Foster 
Joseph  Billings 
Alvah  Toby 
David  Kendell 

Stafford,  Conn. 
Hartford 
Unknown 
Athol 

<< 

Yale 

Brown 

Harvard 

1797 
I79S 
1799 
1 80 1 

Warren  Peirce 

New  Salem 

Dartmouth 

1802 

William  Rickey 
Alpheus  Harding 
Oliver  Greene 

Unknown 

Barre 

Unknown 

< 
< 

t 

i«04 
1805 
1807 

John  Wallace 
Joel  Wright 
I^eonard  Jewett 
Phinehas  Johnson 
Oliver  Fletcher 
Allan  Gannett 

Newbury,  Vt. 
.  Milford,  N.  H. 
Unknown 
East  Sudbury 
Templeton 
Unknown 

< 

i 
< 

Browi 
Dartn^ 

■ 

1 
louth 

1808 
1809 
1810 
1811 
1814 
1825 

Constant  Field 

Charlemont 

Williams 

1826 

Joseph  Anderson 
Charles  Osgood 
Alonzo  Andrews 

Shelburne 
New  Salem 
New  Salem 

Dartmouth 

18^7 
1830 
1833 

Luther  Williams 

New  Braintree 

Williams 

1836 

J.  Mason  Macomber 

New  Salem 

<  < 

1837 

Horace  T.  Blake 

Worcester 

Amherst 

1838 

John  Stacy 
Gardner  Rice 

Belchertown 
East  Sudbury 

Yale 
Middl 

1840 
e'n.  Conn.   1849 

34 


NEW  SALEM  SESQUICENTENNIAL. 


Name. 

Residence. 

Commeucfed 
Graduated.               Office. 

Virgil  M.  Howard 

Hard  wick 

Yale 

1853 

Charles  Whittier 

Afflsbury 

Williams 

1856 

J.  H.  R.  Marsh 

Unknown 

Dartmouth 

1857 

Joseph  A.  Shaw- 

Sudbury 

Harvard 

1858 

Andrew  J.  Lathrop 

Watertown 

( i 

1859 

Henry  M.  Harrington 

Royalston 

Amherst 

1861 

Joseph  A.  Shaw 

Sudbury 

Harvard 

1863 

D.  G.  Thompson 

Unknown 

Tufts 

1868 

E.  A,  Perry 

Scituate 

*' 

1868 

F.  F.  Foster 

Weare,  N.  H 

Dartmouth 

1868 

Lorenzo  White 

Southampton 

Middle' n,  Conn. 

1869 

F.  E.  Stratton 

Athol 

Williams 

1873 

William  H.  Smiky 

Maiden 

Howe 

1877 

Dana  P.  Dame 

Dover,  N.  H, 

Dartmouth 

1880 

Virgil  M.  Howard 

Deerfield 

Yale 

1881 

F.  F.  Whittier 

Boston 

Colby,  Me. 

1884 

Paul  F.  Ela 

Goshen,  Conn, 

Middle 'n,  Conn. 

1886 

L.  D.  Gilbert 

Mecca,  Ohio 

Wesley 'n  U.,  O. 

,  1888 

Herman  N.  Dunham 

Freeport,  Me. 

Bowdoin,  Me. 

1890 

Enierson  L.  Adanls 

Wilton,  Me, 

ii 

1892 

Charles  H.  Cambridge 

Grafton,  Vt. 

Tufts 

1903 

The  school  from  its  commencement  had  many  students  from 
our  town  and  from  the  surrounding  country,  but  the  tuition  and 
the  help  our  townsmen  w^ere  able  to  give,  was  not  sufficient  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  the  institution,  so  a  petition  was  presented 
to  the  General  Court  asking  for  help.  The  Legislature  granted 
to  the  Academy  a  township  of  land  which  they  could  locate  upon 
any  of  the  unappropriated  lands,  belonging  to.  the  state  of  Mass- 
chusetts  in  the  district  of  Maine.  A  committee  was  sent  to 
Maine  and  after  looking  for  several  weeks  among  the  public 
lands,  they  found  nothing  that  they  thought  worthy  for  settle- 


NEW  SALEM  SESQUI-CENTENNIAL.  '    35 

merit,  and  they  began  their  homeward  journey,  discouraged  and 
disappointed.  They  w,ere  obliged  to  wait  a  day  or  two  at  Ban- 
gor, for  a  schooner  to  take  them  to  Boston,  While  sitting  be- 
side the  blazing  fire  at  a  hotel,  they  told  the  story  of  their  wan- 
derings and  disappointments;  an  old  Indian,  also  sitting  beside 
the  fire  apparently  asleep,  said,  "give  me  much  strong  w^ater 
and  me  show  you  good  land;"  his  conditions  were  immediately 
complied  with,  and  the  next  morning  after  giving  him  more 
strong  water,  they  commenced  their  journey. 

They  followed  him  in  a  north-easterly  direction  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  to  a  place  near  the  boundary  line  of 
New  Brunswick  and  not  far  from  the  St.  John  river,  and  there 
he  showed  them  good  land;  which  they  immediately  selected. 
But  they  waited  in  vain  for  purchasers  of  their  lands,  and  finally 
the  need  of  the  Academy  was  so  great  that  James  Houlton  and 
several  other  residents  of  this  town,  sold  their  farms  and  went  as 
settlers  to  this  township,  which  they  named  "Houlton"  and 
which  became  the  county  seat  of  Aroostook  County.  From  the 
sale  of  this  land  the  Academy  received  about  five  thousand 
dollars. 

It  has  often  been  said  and  has  been  recorded  in  history,  that 
the  Academy  lost  much  of  this  grant  of  land  by  the  readjust- 
ment of  the  boundary  line  between  the  state  of  Maine  and  New 
Brunswick.  This  statement  was  not  correct.  All  of  the  land 
belonging  to  the  Academy  was  sold  long  anterior  to  the  ratifica- 
tion of  the  treaty  between  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain, 
which  was  made  in  Washington,  Aug.  5,  1842,  by  Daniel  Web- 
ster and  lyord  Ashburton. 

1856  the  Academy  received  a  gift  of  $1,000  from  Ira  Stratton 
of  Cambridge;  in  1870  $10,000  from  the  state  of  Massachusetts 
and  $5,000  was  raised  by  subscription.  In  1896  by  the  will  of 
Mrs.  Parmelia  Butterfield  of  Orange  ^1,000  was  received. 


j6  NEW  SAL£M  SESQUICENTENNIAL, 

Of  the  long  line  of  eminent  men  and  women  who  received 
their  education  from  New  Salem  Academy  I  have  time  only  \o 
speak  of  a  few.  One  of  the  earliest  graduates  was  Abel  Rawson 
who  went  to  northern  Ohio;  he  was  a  successful  lawyer  and  be- 
came an  eminent  judge;  his  three  brothers  Bass,  Secretary  and 
Laquino,  were  noted  physicians  and  leading  men  in  the  northern 
reserve.  Ex.  Gov.  A.  H.  Bullock,  Judge  P,  Emory  Aldrich,. 
Hon.  Alpheus  Harding,  Hon,  Wm.  Richardson  of  Galveston, 
Texas,  Rev.  Francis  E.  Tower,  Hon.  Collins  Whittaker,  for 
20  years  U.  S.  Consul  for  the  port  of  St.  John,  N.  B.,  Hon, 
Elisha  Allen,  U.  S.  minister  to  the  Sandwich  Islands  and  who 
became  later  Chief  Justice  of  the  islands  and  who  was  sent  by 
them  as  special  Embassador  to  the  U,  S. 

It  was  my  good  fortune  to  be  a  student  at  New  Salem  Aca- 
demy from  1852  to  1856.  The  Academy  at  this  time  was  in  a 
very  flourishing  condition;  in  1853  the  students  numbered  more 
than  100.  Their  homes  were  in  New  York,  Boston,  Cambridge, 
Chelsea.  Ashland,  Worcester,  Fitchburg,  Barre,  Petersham, 
Athol,  and  many  other  towns.  Among  the  assistant  teachers  in 
these  3'ears,  were  Ozi  W.  Whittaker,  now  one  of  the  bishops  of 
the  Episcoi>al  church.  Miss  Sarah  B.  Packard  and  Miss  Hattie 
E.  Giles,  who  by  the  establishment  in  Atlanta,  Ga.,  of  an  insti- 
tution for  the  education  of  colored  girls,  have  erected  to  them- 
selves a  monument  w^hich  will  perpetuate  their  memory  in  all 
coming  time.  By  the  establishment  of  high  schools  in  all  the 
larger  towns  around  us  the  Academy  has  lost  much  of  its  pat- 
ronage; but  to  us  and  the  small  towns  near  us,  the  old  Academy 
will  ever  be  of  the  greatest  benefit,  and  as  days,  months,  years 
and  ages  shall  circle  away,  may  it  be  tenderly  cared  for,  and  its 
light  ever  be  burning  brightly. 

A  list  of  the  Trustees  of  New  Salem  Academy  with  the  date 
of  their  election  and  resignation  or  removal  by  death: 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL.  37 

Elected  Resigned  Died 

Rev.  Joel  Foster  1795  1810 

Rev.  Solomon  Reed  "  i799 

Rev.  Joseph  Blodget  "  1828 

Rev.  Joshua  Kilburn  "  1816 

David  Smead  Esq.  "  1802 

John  Goldsbury  Esq.  '*  1802 

Jonathan  Warner  Esq. 

David  Sexton  Esq. 

Ebenezar  Matoon  Jr.  Esq. 

Daniel  Bigelow  Esq. 

Martin  Kingsley  Esq. 

Ezekiel  Kellogg  Jr.  Esq. 

Samuel  Kendell 

Varney  Pearce 

Asa  Merriam 

Joseph  Metcalf  of  Orange 

James  Humphreys  of  Athol 

Edward  Upham 

Joshua  Greene 

Samuel  F.  Dickinson 

Solomon  Smead  Esq. 

Rev.  Ezekiel  Bascom 

Samuel  C.  Allen 

Rev.  Warren  Peirce 

Benjamin  Pickham  of  Salem 

Samuel  Eastman  of  Hard  wick 

Rev.  Alpheus  Harding 

Capt.  Charles  C.  Rabstion 

Rev.  Festus  Foster 

Rev.  Charles  Wellington 

Col.  Jacob  Putnam 


( ( 

1802 

<  < 

1799 

( « 

I8I6 

( < 

( ( 
<  ( 

( i 
i  i 
( < 

1802 
1797 
1802 
I8I4 

1823 
1797 

1797 

I8I8 

1797 

I83I 

1799 

1805 

1799 

1832 

1802 

I8I7 

1802 

1825 

1802 

1832 

1802 

1825 
I8IO 

1805 

1808 

1808 

I8I7 

I8IO 

1869 

I8I0 

I8I6 

I8I4 

1820 

I8I6 

1833 

I8I6 

1827 

38  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

• 

Nathaniel  Jones  Esq. 

Capt.  John  Putnam 

David  A.  Gregg 

Joseph  Estabrook  Esq.  Royal'n 

Jonathan  Gregory 

Rev.  Luther  Wilson 

Dr.  William  H.  Cutler 

Laban  Marcy  Esq.  of  Greenwich 

Hon.  Richard  E.  Newcomb 

of  Greenfield 
Naham  Bryant 
John  W.  Humphreys 
Rufus  Bullock  Esq.  of  Royal'n 
Jones  Estabrook 
Rev.  Preser\^ed  Smith 

of  Warwick 
F.  H.  Allen  Esq. 
Rev.  Josiah  Moore  of  Athol 
Jonathan  Hartwell  Esq. 
Rev.  John  Goldsbury,  Hardwick   1832 
Gardner  Ruggles  Esq.  of  Barre 
Dr.  Amasa  Barrett 
George  Blodget  of  Orange 
Dr.  George  Hoyt  of  Athol 
Asahel  Paige 
Capt.  Samuel  Giles 
Rev.  G.  R.  Noyes 
Charles  Osgood 
ApoUos  Johnson 
Rev.  Linus  H.  Shaw 
Dr.  George  H.  Lee 
Dea.  Maham  F.  Bryant  Esq. 


Elected 

Resigned 

Died 

1816 

1832 

1817 

1827 

1817 

1820 

1818 

1820 

1827 

1820 

1838 

1823 

1832 

1825 

1854 

1825 

1834 

1827 

1839 

1827 

1845 

1827 

183I 

1827 

1830 

1828 

1846 

1830 

1835 

183I 

1833 

183I 

1837 

1832 

1835 

1832 

1835 

1832 

1837 

1832 

1834 

1833 

1835 

1833 

1857 

1834 

1876 

1834 

184I 

1835 

1850 

1835 

1843 

1835 

1838 

1835 

1857 

1837 

1857 

i^TE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL.  jg 

Died 

Ebenezar  Macomber 

Joseph  Young 

Rev.  Salmon  Bennett 

Dr.  Joseph  Stone  of  Hardwick       1839  "        1849 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Gage 

Italy  Foster  Esq.  of  Dana 

Norwood  Daman  of  Templeton 

Theodore  Jones  of  Athol 

Dr.  lyinus  Cook  of  Wendell 

Rev.  Luther  Wilson 

Rev.  John  Keep  of  Dana 

Rev.  Ephraim  Nute,  Petersham 

Rev.  C.  Everett  of  Northfield 

Joseph  Stevens  of  Warwick  1847  1850 

Hon.  Henry  W.  Cushman 

of  Bernardston 
Hon.  Davis  Goddard  of  Orange 
Rev.  Claudius  Bradford 
Rev.  William  H.  Hey  wood 
Cheney  Abbott  of  Prescott 

Hon.  John  Raymond,  Hardwick   1852  1854 

William  Mixter  of  Hardwick 

Alpheus  Harding  Jr.  1854  1903 

Jabez  Sawyer  Esq.  of  Wendell 
James  Knight 
Rev.  Thomas  Weston 
Thomas  Root  of  Greenwich 

Constant  Southworth,  Hardwick  1857  1878 

Rev.  John  Goldsbury,  Warwick    1857  1878 

Horace  Hunt  Esq.  1857  1870 

Rev.  Edward  P..  Blodgett 

of  Greenwich     1859  i860 


Elected 

Resigned 

1838 

1843 

1838 

1844 

1838 

'1844 

1839 

184I 

1847 

1843 

1845 

1844 

1845 

1844 

1857 

1844 

1855 

1845 

1864 

1845 

1861 

1845 

1850 

1846 

1850 

1847 

1849 

1852 

1850 

1861 

1850 

1859 

1850 

1857 

1850 

1861 

1852 

1853 

1857 

1854 

1856 

1877 

1857 

1862 

1857 

•   1859 

1857 

1885 

40  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 


Elected 

Resigned 

Died 

Harding  Hemingwa}^ 

1859 

1870 

Samuel  B.  Estey  of  Greenwich 

i860 

1861 

Rev.  Levi  Ballou  of  Orange 

1861 

1865 

Rev.  D.  Bancroft  of  Prescott 

1861 

1862 

Thomas  D.  Brooks  of  Wendell 

1861 

1895 

William  T.  Freeman 

1862 

1886 

Dr.  Jonathan  W.  Goodell 

of  Greenwich 

1862 

1864 

John  G.  Mudge  of  Petersham 

1864 

1869 

David  Allen  of  Greenwich 

1864 

1865 

Rev.  Wm.  Hooper  of  Orange 

1865 

1869 

N.  L.  Johnson  of  Dana 

1861 

1902 

J.  B.  Root 

1867 

1885 

Willard  Putnam 

1869 

Rodney  Hunt  of  Orange 

1869 

1877 

Rev.  David  Eastman 

1869 

1876 

Col.  S.  F.  Dudley,  Shutesbury 

1870 

1875 

Lyman  E.  Moore 

1870 

Geo.  A.  Berr>^  of  Shutesbury 

1875 

Rev.  N.  Trask 

1876 

1877 

F.  A.  Haskell 

1876 

•    1882 

A.  J.  Clark  of  Orange 

1877 

1879 

L.  Dwight  Trout  of  Hard  wick 

1878 

1892 

Edward  F.  Mayo  of  Warwick 

1878 

1892 

Rev.  Baxter  Newton  of  Leveretl 

t   1878 

1883 

Rev.  Samuel  H.  Amsden 

1878 

1885 

R.  D.  Chase  of  Orange 

1879 

1882 

Daniel  Ballard 

1882 

Charles  Chandler 

1882 

1902 

Richard  Dudley  of  N.  Leverett 

1883 

Edwin 'F.  Stowell 

1885 

Nathaniel  E.  Holland 

1885 

1895 

Elected 

Resigned 

1885 

1885 

1892 

1886 

1892 

1896 

1892 

1892 

1895 

1895 

1902 

1896 

1902 

1902 

1902 

NE IV  SALEM  SESQ  Uf-  CENTENNIAL.  41 

Died 

William  S.  Douglas,  Greenwich    1885 

Dr.  W.  M.  Wright 

Edwin  C.  Haskins  of  No.  Dana 

James  B.  McGibney 

William  H.  Hemingway 

Henry  C.  Ellis  of  P.etersham 

Eli  F.  Buzzell  of  Wendell  1895  1903 

Walter  H.  Pierce  of  Prescott 

Rev.  A.  V.  House 

E.  L.  Adams 
Frank  J.  Crawford  of  Dana 

F.  A.  Wendermuth  of  Prescott 
In   1895  by  vote  of  the    town  a  high  school  was  established, 

which  has  been  conducted  in  connection  with  the  Academy,  to 
the  mutual  benefit  of  both. 

In  1892  the  Legislature  required  all  the  towns  of  the  state  to 
be  formed  into  districts,  which  should  choose  a  superintendent 
of  schools.  Dana,  Greenwich  and  Prescott  were  associated  with 
this  town  and  E.  L.  Adams,  who  had  for  several  years  been 
preceptor  of  the  Academy,  was  chosen  Supt.  He  was  reelected 
the  present  year,  but  has  resigned  to  accept  a  better  position  in 
his  native  state  of  Maine.  His  successor  is  W.  G.  Davis  of 
South  Framingham. 

In  politics  the  people  of  the  town  have  always  taken  a  promi- 
nent part.  In  the  time  previous  to  the  war  of  1812  the  town 
was  decidedly  anti-Federalist.  In  the  division  between  the 
Whig  and  Democratic  parties  the  town  became  Whig  by  a  small 
majority.  Upon  the  dissolution  of  the  Whig  party  and  the  for- 
mation of  the  Republican  party  the  town  became  decidedly  Re- 
publican and  has  ever  remained  so. 

In  1838  the  present  town  house  was  built.  In  that  year  the 
United  States  government  distributed  among  the  States  the  sur- 


42  NE IV  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

plus  revenue  which  had  accumulated  in  the  treasury.  New 
Salem's  share  of  this  surplus  revenue  was  sufficient  to  pay  the 
expense  of  building  the  town  house. 

In  1846  a  brass  band  was  organized  in  the  north  part  of  the 
town.  The  band  maintained  its  organization  until  1857,  when 
by  death  and  removal  of  many  of  its  members,  it  was  dissolved. 
In  1849  the  band  was  appointed  by  the  Governor  to  furnish 
music  for  the  encampment  of  the  militia  in  the  western  part  of 
the  state  and  it  was  said  that  the  band  was  one  of  the  very  best 
in  the  state.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  members:  Arad  W. 
Lynde,  John  D.  Smith,  James  F.  Smith,  Horatio  Smith,  Rufus 
Day,  Franklin  Haskins,  Arad  Terry,  Darwin  Whitaker,  Aldison 
Phillips,  Francis  B.  Crowl,  Hiram  H.  Robbins,  Ransom  Pierce, 
W.  W.  Pierce,  E.  C.  Thompson.  The  leaders  of  the  band  were 
Francis  B.  Crowl  and  E.  C.  Thompson.  One  of  them,  Darwin 
Whitaker,  is  with  us  today. 

The  Farmers'  band  which  furnishes  us  with  music  today  was 
organized  in  1891  and  is  composed  of  members  from  all  parts  of 
the  town.  The  following  is  a  list  of  its  past  and  present  mem- 
bers: Walter  E.  Crowl,  William  Bullard,  Fred  Ballard,  Fred 
Curtis,  Fred  Whipple,  D.  A.  Stowell,  Frank  Hemmingway, 
Everett  Newland,  C.J.  Moulton,  Alfred  Moulton,  Sewall  King, 
E.  C.  Chamberlain,  Ralph  Freeman,  John  Marshall,  Harry 
Cogswell,  George  W.  Fisher.  Its  first  instructor  and  leader  was 
Frank  McGibeny,  later  Walter  T.  Crowl  was  leader,  at  present 
Fred  Ballard  is  leader.  The  band  has  furnished  music  for  many 
public  meetings  in  this  and  the  neighboring  towns. 

The  first  minister  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Kendell  of  Woburn, 
a  graduate  of  Harv^ard  college.  He  was  ordained  Dec.  4,  1742. 
The  earliest  records  of  the  church  were  dated  on  that  year,  so  it 
is  supposed  that  the  church  was  organized  at  that  time.  Mr. 
Kendell  brought  with  him  two  slaves,  John  and  Chloe,  who  re- 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ Ul-CENTENNIAL.  43 

mained  with  him  many  j^ears.  He  was  a  man  of  culture  and  re- 
finement and  was  universally  beloved.  He  was  the  pastor  till 
March  1776,  a  period  of  34  years,  when  he  resigned,  but  con- 
tinued to  live  in  New  Salem  until  his  death  in  1792.  He  w^as 
succeeded  by  Rev,  Joel  Foster  in  1778,  who  resigned  in  1802. 

In  1778  by  an  act  of  the  general  court  a  parish  society  was 
organized  distinct  from  the  town  organization;  previous  to  this 
time  nearly  all  church  affairs  were  arranged  in  town  meetings. 
The  minister  was  called  by  vote  of  the  town  and  a  tax  was  as- 
sessed for  the  payment  of  his  salary.  In  1794  a  new  church  was 
built  and  it  has  been  said  that  it  was  one  of  the  best,  if  not  the 
very  best,  in  the  county,  and  it  is  in  that  church  that  we  are  as- 
sembled today.  In  the  years  succeeding  the  building  of  this 
church,  the  congregations  were  very  large,  often  filling  this 
house  to  its  utmost  capacity.  One  Sunday  the  pastor  of  this 
church  made  an  exchange  with  the  Rev.  Joseph  Estabrook  of 
the  church  in  Athol.  As  he  looked  over  the  large  congregation 
before  commencing  his  sermon,  he  said  "I  am  glad  to  be  per- 
mitted today  to  come  up  out  of  the  wilderness  and  to  speak  to 
this  audience  of  civilization,  culture  and  refinement." 

Rev.  Warren  Pierce  became  pastor  1804  and  resigned  in  1807. 
Next  came  Rev.  Alpheus  Harding,  who  was  pastor  thirty-seven 
years;  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  James  L,ocke.  Rev.  Claudrus 
Bradford  was  ordained  in  1951  and  remained  two  years.  Rev. 
Thomas  Weston  was  ordained  in  1856  remaining  two  years.  In 
1866-67  Rev.  Thomas  Pond  was  the  preacher.  The  last  pastor, 
Rev.  J.  Nelson  Trask,  resigned  in  1874,  since  which  time,  while 
the  society  has  kept  its  organization  perfect,  the  preaching  has 
been  by  occasional  supplies. 

In  1800  a  Universalist  society  was  organized  in  the  north  part 
of  the  town,  a  town  was  laid  out  on  the  farm  of  John  Haskell, 
near  north  pond,  a  common  was  arranged,  a  frame  for  a  meeting 


44  NEW  SALEM  SESQUI-CENTENNIAL. 

house  was  put  up  and  there  the  work  stopped;  no  houses  were 
built  and  the  frame  after  standing  a  few  years  was  taken  down 
and  was  used  for  building  a  hotel  at  New  Salem  centre.  The 
common  yet  remains,  the  land  has  never  been  occupied,  has 
never  been  cultivated  and  no  trees  have  ever  grown  upon  it. 

In  1807  a  meeting  house  was  built  in  the  north  part  of  the 
town,  its  location  was  near  the  house  of  B.  W.  Fay;  in  1836  this 
house  was  moved  to  North  New  Salem.  From  1807  to  1823 
Rev.  Alpheus  Harding  supplied  the  pulpit  on  the  last  Sunday 
of  every  month.  In  1823  there  came  a  separation  in  the  Cong- 
regational churches  of  Massachusetts,  the  first  church  with  their 
pastor  took  the  side  of  Unitarian  Congregationalists  and  the 
people  of  the  north  part  of  the  town  became  Unitarian  Cong- 
regationalists, and  organized  a  church.  They  bought  the  meet- 
ing house  from  the  first  parish  and  installed  the  Rev.  Levi 
French  as  their  pastor.  In  the  call  asking  him  to  become  their 
settled  minister,  they  offered  him  the  following  salary:  "One 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  from  the  present  members  of  the 
society,  fifty  dollars  in  produce  at  its  market  value,  also  to  fur- 
nish his  fire  wood  and  that  he  shall  receive  all  the  subscriptions 
from  those*  who  may  hereafter  join  the  society,  and  all  the  money 
that  may  be  obtained  from  charitable  societies,  until  it  shall 
amount  to  one  hundred  dollars,  making  in  all  three  hundred 
dollars  a  year;  also  two  cows,  and  to  move  his  family,  and  allow 
him  three  Sabbaths  a  year  to  visit  his  friends  should  he  desire 
to  do  so."  Mr.  French  resigned  in  1830.  In  1832  Rev.  Erastus 
Curtis  was  installed  and  remained  pastor  till  1843;  from  1843  till 
1867  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by  preachers  from  various  denomi- 
nations. In  1867  a  Methodist  society  w^as  organized,  receiving 
cooperation  and  assistance  from  the  remaining  members  of  the 
original  society. 

The  M.  E.  preachers  were  as  follows  1867-68;  Henry  H.  Olds 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UL  CENTENNIAL.  45 

1869,  William  Wignall;  1870-71-72  Randell  Mitchell;  1873-74 
Charles  K.  Seaver;  1875-76  Iveonard  P.  PVost;  1877  Moseley 
D wight;  1878  W.  Wendell;  1879  by  order  of  the  presiding  elder, 
without  consultation  with  the  church  members,  the  church  was 
disorganized  and  members  transferred  to  the  Orange  M.  E. 
church. 

In  1883  was  begun  the  present  arrangement  of  the  pastor  of 
the  Congregational  church  of  New  Salem  supplying  the  North 
New^  Salem  church  on  Sunday  afternoons.  The  church  edifice 
was  thoroughly  remodeled  and  repaired  in  1901  and  1902.  Jan. 
2,  1903  a  Congregational  church  was  organized  and  recognized 
March  4,  1903,  by  council. 

The  third  Congregational  church  was  organized  on  Aug.  13, 
1845  at  New  Salem  Centre.  A  church  edifice  was  built  in  1854. 
The  pastors  have  been  Revs.  William  H.  Hay  ward,  Krastus 
Curtis,  Wm.  Kemp,  David  Eastman,  Samuel  H.  Amsden,  W. 
S.  Clark,  David  Plummer,  J.  T.  Closson,  Albert  V.  House. 

In  1 901 -2  a  parsonage  was  built,  mainly  through  the  efforts  of 
the  pastor,  Rev.  A.  V.  House. 

1792  a  Baptist  church  was  built  in  the  south  part  of  the  town; 
in  1800  the  building  was  moved  three  miles  to  the  north  of  its 
original  location.  1835  the  building  was  taken  down  and  a  new 
structure  was  erected  directly  upon  the  line  between  New  Salem 
and  Prescott.  This  church  became  extinct  in  1875;  in  4878  the 
building  was  removed  into  Prescott  and  converted  into  a  store. 

There  is  a  Methodist  church  building  and  parsonage  in  New 
Salem  close  to  the  Prescott  line  and  belonging  to  M.  E.  church 
of  North  Prescott.  This  society  is  partially  composed  of  families 
living  in  the  south  part  of  New  Salem. 

In  all  of  the  churches  of  the  olden  time  there  were  no  fire- 
places or  stoves,  and  in  the  coldest  of  winter,  all  were  obliged  to 
remain  and  listen  to  the  long  sermon,   which  often  went  up  to 


46  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

the  i6thly  and  24thly,  and  sometimes  to  the  32ndly.  About  a 
hundred  years  ago  a  little  stove  was  invented  which  the  ladies 
filled  with  live  coals,  and  placed  under  their  feet.  We  have 
here  today  a  specimen  of  one  of  these  stoves.  Later  when  the 
custom  of  putting  stoves  into  churches  for  the  purpose  of  mak- 
ing them  warm  and  comfortable,  there  was  great  opposition. 
And  in  a  neighboring  town  it  was  said,  that  two  maiden  ladies 
were  so  overcome  by  the  heat  from  the  new  stove  in  their  church 
that  they  fainted  away,  and  were  obliged  to  be  carried  out  into 
the  cool  air  before  they  recovered,  and  the  strange  part  of  the 
story  is  that  no  fire  had  ever  been  made  in  the  stove.  Probably 
they  did  not  need  fire  as  much  in  their  stoves  then  as  now  be- 
cause they  had  so  much  more  in  their  sermons. 

In  1889  by  vote  of  town  a  public  library  was  established,  a  be- 
quest of  $1000  was  given  to  the  town  by  the  will  of  Mrs.  Eliza 
Ellis,  the  income  from  it  to  be  forever  used  for  the  purchase  of 
books:  in  1895  was  received  by  the  will  of  Mrs.  Pamelia  Butter- 
field  of  Orange  $500  for  the  benefit  of  the  library.  The  library 
now  contains  2000  volumes  and  by  the  establishment  of  branches 
in  the  remote  parts  of  the  town  is  easily  accessable  to  all.  It  is 
well  patronized  by  the  readers  of  the  town  and  also  by  our  sum- 
mer visitors. 

Several  eminent  lawyers  have  practiced  their  profession  here, 
prominent  among  them  was  the  Hon.  Samuel  C.  Allen,  who 
liv^ed  here  from  1802  to  1820;  he  was  a  member  of  Congress  from 
1816  to  1828,  also  his  son,  the  Hon.  Frederic  H.  Allen,  who 
represented  the  town  several  times  in  the  Legislature,  also  the 
Hon.  N.  F.  Bryant,  and  there  is  one  whose  birthplace  was  here 
and  whose  early  life  was  passed  here,  and  in  the  years  of  his 
absence  has  ever  been  looking  back  to  the  old  scenes.  He  is 
with  us  today  and  I  know  that  no  one  w411  be  more  gladly  wel- 
comed than  Geo.  W.  Horr  Esq.  of  Athol. 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI- CENTENNIAL.  47 

There  are  in  the  city  of  Worcester  three  lawyers  who  received 
their  education  from  New  Salem  Academy,  two  of  them  natives 
of  this  town,  but  as  their  life  work  is  but  just  begun  I  leave 
their  record  to  the  future  historian. 

The  first  representative  to  the  general  court  was  John  Houl- 
ton,  elected  in  1754.  The  town  has  represented  by  forty  differ- 
ent men  of  whom  eight  are  now  living.  Among  the  oldest  of 
them  is  Samuel  Putnam,  who  represented  the  town  in  1847  and 
who  was  born  in  1806.  Hon.  Alpheus  Harding  1851  and  1853, 
and  later  was  a  Representative,  also  a  Senator  from  Athol. 
Beriah  W.  Fay  was  Representative  in  1865.  From  1806  to  1836 
the  town  was  entitled  to  two  members  in  the  general  court.  Var- 
ney  Pierce  was  elected  in  1796  and  with  the  exception  of  two 
years,  was  re-elected  every  year  till  the  time  of  his  death  in  1823. 
William  Whittaker  who  had  served  three  years  in  the  House  of 
Representatives  was  elected  Senator  in  1844  and  died  at  Boston 
while  on  duty.     Samuel  Giles  was  elected  his  successor. 

The  following  is  the  exact  list  of  Representatives  from  this 
town  to  date  viz:  1754  John  Houlton,  1756  John  Gunn,  1758  to 
1760  Fellows  Billings,  1785,  1787,  1791,  1792,  1794,  1795,  1805 
Ezekiel  Kellogg  Jr.,  1783,  1784  Jacob  Sampson,  1786  William 
Paige,  1796  7,  1799  to  1823  Varney  Pierce,  1806-9  Samuel  C. 
Allen,  1813-16  Benjamin  Stacy,  1801  James  Fellon,  1802  Edward 
Upton,  1816-37  John  Putnam,  1828-32  Ebenezar  Torry,  1829, 
1830-34  William  Whittaker,  1829,  1830-34  Frederick  H.  Allen, 
1836-37  Rev.  Alpheus  Harding,  1838  Euther  Hunt,  1841  James 
Knight,  1842-52  Dr.  Robert  Andrews,  1843  Abner  Smith,  1844 
Josiah  B.  Harding,  1845  Frederick  Pierce,  1846  Seth  C.  Smith, 
1847  Samuel  Putnam,  1848  Josiah  B.  Thompson,  1849  William 
T.  Giles,  1850  Warren  Horr,  1851-53  Alpheus  Harding  Jr.,  1855 
Alfred  G.  Williams,  1854  Charles  A.  Perry,  1862  Royal  Whit- 
taker, 1865  Beriah  W.  Fay,  1869  Eyman  E.  Moore,  1872  David 


48  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

Eastman,  1875  Willard  Putnam,  1882  Daniel  Ballard,  1889 
Henry  D.  Hamilton,  1901  Edwin  F.  Stowell. 

Senators:  1844  Hon.  William  Wliittaker,  died  in  office;  1844 
Hon.  Samuel  Giles. 

Members  of  Congress:  1816-22  Hon.  Samuel  C.  Allen,  Hon. 
Shepherd  Cary,  who  was  a  member  of  Congress  from  Maine  in 
1844-46  was  a  native  of  this  town  and  a  grandson  of  Benjamin 
Haskell.  Hon.  Elisha  Allen,  son  of  the  Hon.  Samuel  C.  Allen, 
who  was  born  here,  was  also  a  member  of  Congress  from  Maine. 
Delegate  to  the  constitutional  convention  in  1789  was  Jeremiah 
Ballard  2d.  Delegate  to  the  constitutional  convention  in  1853 
was  Dr.  Robert  Andrews. 

Beriah  W.  Fay  was  elected  special  County  Commissioner  in 
1872  and  still  continues  to  hold  that  office. 

Among  the  industries  of  New  Salem  is  the  "New  Salem 
Creamery  Company,"  whose  factory  is  located  at  Millington.  It 
was  established  in  1894.  It  receives  the  milk  frcfm  350  cows  and 
makes  daily  300  lbs.  of  butter. 

At  Millington  is  the  grist  mill  of  Lyman  E.  Moore.  The  first 
mill  was  built  in  the  early  days  of  the  town;  the  second  on  the 
same  place  in  1800;  a  larger  and  more  commodious  mill  in  1858. 
There  is  annually  ground  and  sold  from  this  mill  50  car  loads  of 
grain.  Previous  to  1848  all  corn  and  oats  consumed  in  this 
town  was  raised  here. 

The  greatest  industry  of  the  town  during  the  past  25  years, 
has  been  the  manufacture  of  lumber.  This  has  been  done  by 
five  water-mills  and  several  portable  steam-mills;  it  is  estimated 
that  during  this  time  5,000,000  ft.  has  been  cut  annually.  This 
lumber  is  sold  mostly  for  the  manufacture  of  boxes  and  matches. 

Although  the  best  of  our  territory  has  been  taken  from  us, 
and  our  population  somewhat  reduced,  and  our  sons  and  daugh- 
ters have   gone  out  all  over  our  country,  there  is  no  cause  for 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Ul-  CENTENNIAL.  4g 

discouragement.  This  town  is,  and  will  be,  just  what  we  make 
it.  We  have  the  same  pure  air  and  beautiful  scenery  which  our 
ancestors  so  much  enjoyed.  The  same  blue  sky  is  over  our 
heads,  and  the  same  Heavenly  Father  that  watched  over  them, 
and  guided  them,  is  watching  over  and  guiding  us.  We  shall 
adapt  ourselves  to  the  new  conditions  and  the  new  surroundings, 
and  when  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  from  today  the  historian 
shall  dip  his  pen  in  the  ink,  he  will  find  much  to  record.  He 
will  speak  of  an  increase  of  business  and  population;  he  will 
speak  of  the  cottages  of  the  summer  visitors,  which  will  be 
scattered  all  over  our  beautiful  hills;  he  will  speak  of  a  long  line 
of  eminent  men  and  women,  whose  birth  place  w^as  among  the 
hills  and  valleys  of  this  town;  he  will  speak  of  another  student 
from  x\ndover  who  will  built  us  more  houses.  And  in  those 
days  of  darkness  and  disaster,  which,  as  they  come  to  all  nations, 
will  surely  again  come  to  us,  he  will  tell  us  of  another  Jeremiah 
Meacham,  of  more  Jeremiah  Ballards,  of  another  Benjamin  Has- 
kell, of  another  William  Stacy,  of  another  Leonard  Curtis,  of 
another  Foster  Smith  and  of  another  Walter  Putnam. 

New  Salem  was  my  birthplace,  and  it  is  a  great  satisfaction  to 
me  to  know,  that  when  my  life  work  is  ended,  it  is  to  be  my 
last  resting  place. 

"My  native  town  thee, 

Land  of  the  noble  free, 

Thy  name  I  love. 

I  love  thy  rocks  and  rills. 

Thy  woods  and  templed  hills, 

My  heart  with  rapture  thrills,  like  that  above." 


ADDRESS 
By  George  W.  Horr. 


Since  I  moved  from  New  Salem,  my  birthplace,  about  40 
years  ago,  to  Athol,  to  which  town  in  February,  1830,  part  of 
New  Salem  was  annexed,  also  in  March,  1837,  part  of  New 
Salem  called  Little  Grant,  was  annexed  to  Orange  and  to  Athol, 
I  have  had  knowledge  each  year  of  one  fact  that  has  never 
failed  to  attract  my  special  notice,  to  wit:  the  amount  of  a  tax 
assessed  to  me  upon  real  estate  in  my  good  old  native  town; 
and  so  far  I  have  been  able  to  meet  it,  without  an}-  part  thereof 
having  been  sold  by  the  collector  for  non-payment.  Thus  far  I 
claim  to  have  been  a  good  non-resident  of  my  native  town,  while 
living  in  Athol,  to  which  town  New  Salem  had  contributed  on 
two  occasions  part  of  her  territory.  The  towns  have  always 
been  good  neighbors,  and  each  takes  an  interest  in  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  other. 

The  corporation  of  the  Millers  River  bank  of  Athol,  established 
in  1854,  afterwards  Millers  River  National  bank,  came  to  New 
Salem  in  1856  for  a  cashier,  and  Alpheus  Harding  held  that 
office  and  the  office  of  its  president  until  his  resignation  of  the 
last-named  office  was  reluctantly^  received,  only  a  few^  years  ago. 
As  school  teachers,  in  manufactural  occupations,  mercantile 
pursuits,  agriculture,  and  in  almost  all  branches-  of  business 
carried  on  in  the  thriving  and  prosperous  town  of  Athol,  New 
Salem  has  continuously  had  successful  representatives. 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Uf-  CENTENNIAL.  51 

Pardon  me  for  reference  to  an  ev^ent  which  may  be  deemed 
personal.  In  July,  1864,  we  had  an  old-fashioned  Fourth  of 
July  celebration  on  the  hill  near  Cooleyville,  once  owned  by  my 
great-grandfather,  Robert  Hoar,  and  God  willing,  I  hope,  while 
yet  the  same  pine  trees  are  standing,  under  which  we  had  the 
picnic,  heard  the  Declaration  of  Independence  read,  an  oration, 
toasts,  short  speeches  and  music,  with  Father  Grover  as  toast- 
master,  then  in  demand  on  Independence  day;  in  fact  a  good 
old-fashioned  celebration,  brimful  of  patriotic  enjoyment  and 
enthusiasm. 

New  Salem,  as  the  historical  facts  establish,  has  a  history  and 
standing  among  the  towns  of  the  old  Bay  State  most  honorable 
and  praiseworthy. 

To-day  we  meet  to  celebrate  the  150th  anniversary  of  the 
town's  incorporation,  and  hold  the  30th  successive  reunion  of 
the  alumni  and  friends  of  the  academy.  Let  us  refer  to  the  year 
1846,  a  year  to  be  classified  with  halcyon  and  prosperous  days 
of  the  academy:  female  department,  67;  male  department,  94; 
total,  161  students. 

One  object  of  the  academy  was  to  enable  the  young  man  to 
win  the  inestimable  prize  of  a  good  name  and  a  reputation  un- 
tarnished, and  a  standing  and  an  influence  which  would  enable 
him  to  elevate  his  own  fortunes,  and  to  become  a  benefactor  to 
his  fellow  men  in  all  the  relations  in  life, — to  be  an  honest  man, 
which  is  the  noblest  work  of  God.  It  assisted  all  the  students 
of  both  sexes  to  train  their  minds  to  habits  of  thought  and  at- 
tention; to  exercise  and  apply  the  powers  of  the  mind,  to  enlarge 
its  bounds  by  a  knowledge  of  the  principles  and  elementary  facts 
of  the  sciences,  intellectual,  moral  and  physical;  and  by  all  these 
combined  to  form  the  character,  invigorate  the  understanding, 
and  incite  the  heart  and  will  to  generous  aspirations.  This  old 
time-honored  institution  has  accomplished  splendid  results.  You 


S2  NE W  SALEM  SESQ UICENTENNIAL. 

have  only  to  examine  the  long  lists  of  its  students  to  find  the 
records  of  many  successful  in  business  pursuits,  faithful  instruct- 
ors, distinguished  in  professional  life,  some  of  them  elevated  to 
highest  places  in  church  and  state.  And  how  numerous  are 
they  who  have  passed  their  days  in  the  humble  w^alks  of  life,  in 
pleasant,  happy  family  ties,  in  which  their  mutual  lives  have 
been  "ideally  true  and  poetically  beautiful,"  lives  of  usefulness, 
discharging  their  duties  faithfully  and  honestly,  uplifting  and 
benefitting  their  neighbors  and  the  individiials  of  different  com- 
munities in  all  sections  of  this  broad  land. 

New  Salem  has  always  been  true  to  the  general  principles 
which  have  governed  the  organization  of  the  townships. 

The  early  settlers  of  Plymouth  colony  discovered  that  the 
grant  of  corporate  powers  to  the  small  separate  settlements,  and 
the  passage  of  general  laws  giving  them  such  powers  and  privi- 
leges as  would  enable  them  to  provide  for  their  local  needs,  and 
subjecting  them  to  the  performance  of  such  duties  a.s  might  be 
required  by  the  government  ot  the  whole  colonj^  was  the  best 
and  fittest  way  for  the  transaction  of  the  affairs  of  the  different 
localities,  and  they  so  provided. 

This  system,  inaugurated  at  Plymouth,  commended  itself  to 
the  Massachusetts  colony,  so  that  it  was  adopted  there  at  the 
outset.  The  early  settlers  wanted  religious  teachers  and  insti- 
tutions, and  at  that  period  it  was  for  the  benefit  of  the  civil  state 
that  the  institutions  of  religion  should  be  maintained  through 
some  organization  having  legal  powers  to  provide  for  the  sup- 
port of  religious  teachers.  They  wanted  schools,  and  of  course 
they  needed  schoolhouses,  and  for  the  erection  of  these,  school 
districts.  All  of  the  wants'  were  supplied  by  appropriate  legis- 
lation. These  poor  little  schoolhouses,  w^hether  "red' '  or  painted 
some  other  color,  or  unpainted,  w^ould  not  make  a  great  show 
by  the  side  of  some  modern  institutions,   but  they  served  the 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL.  53 

purpose  they  were  intended  for,  quite  as  useful,  perhaps,  as  if 
the  seats  had  had  cushions,  and  the  desks  had  been  of  mahogany. 

The  town  was  the  efficient  means  which  secured  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  household.  The  several  families,  farmers,  and  mech- 
anics, laborers,  and  professional  men,  need  for  the  development 
of  their  resources,  and  the  greatest  enjoyment  of  their  privileges, 
something  beyond  even  the  mutual  support  of  each  other  in  their 
various  neighborhoods,  and  they  found  it  in  the  town.  It  en- 
larged, while  it  concentrated,  their  sympathies,  formed  and 
moulded  their  opinions,  and  gave  expansion  to  their  united  will. 

While  we  hold  in  most  reverent  regard  the  heroic  deeds  of 
the  fathers  of  the  republic  who  achieved  independence,  and  in 
which  tremendous  struggle  for  the  principles  of  civil  liberty  the 
sons  of  New  Salem  so  promptly  responded,  yet,  to  these  princi- 
ples and  maxims  of  civil  liberty,  new  lustre  and  glory,  if  possi- 
ble, have  been  added  by  the  imperishable  deeds  of  valor  per- 
formed by  the  loyal  soldiers  in  the  great  Civil  war. 

The  sons  of  New  Salem,  who  gave  their  best  services  and 
duties,  or  their  lives  for  their  country,  to  save  the  sacred  legacy 
which  had  come  down  to  us  from  the  Revolutionary  epoch,  are 
especiall}^  dear  in  our  remembrance  upon  this  anniversary.  The 
privates  and  non-commissioned  officers  are  as  fully  entitled  to 
praise  and  gratitude  as  the  officers.  It  was  the  steadfast  valor 
of  the  common  soldier  which  saved  the  Union. 


LETTERS  OF  REGRET 


From  F.  N.  Thompson. 

I  suppose  that  the  honor  which  j^our  committee  conferred 
upon  me,  by  extending  to  me  an  invitation  to  attend  your  sesqui- 
centennial  and  participate  in  the  exercises  of  the  day,  may  be 
set  down  to  my  official  connection  with  the  people  of  New  Salem. 
It  hardly  seems  possible  that  a  generation  has  passed  from  time 
to  eternity,  since  I  first  received  your  suffrages  for  the  position 
which  I  held  for  almost  30  years. 

Perhaps  the  case  of  the  late  Ransom  Adams,  whose  will  was 
filed  Oct.  4,  1870,  was  the  first  in  which  I  was  officially  con- 
nected with  a  New  Salem  estate,  and  the  case  remained  open  in 
the  court  longer,  I  think,  than  any  other,  from  that  town,  the 
last  entry  upon  the  docket  being  made  in  1898. 

My  relations  with  the  people  of  the  town  who  have  had  oc- 
casion to  transact  business  with  the  probate  court  have  ever 
been  most  cordial  and  satisfactory  to  me,  and  I  feel  deeply  thank- 
ful to  the  citizens  of  New  Salem  for  their  many  favors. 

Several  things  have  occurred  closely  connecting  the  towns  of 
New  Salem  and  Greenfield.  Of  the  towns  which  now  constitute 
Franklin  county,  only  Deerfield,  Northfield,  Sunderland  and 
Greenfield  are  older  than  New  Salem,  and  Greenfield  is  only  six 
days  the  elder,  her  birthday  being  June  9  and  New  Salem  the 
15th. 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL.  SS 

When  these  new  municipalities  came  into  existence,  William 
Pitt,  the  "Great  Commoner"  was  just  coming  into  public  notice. 
He  lived  to  use  his  immense  influence  in  opposition  to  the  meas- 
ures instituted  by  the  ministers  of  an  unwise  ruler,  which  op- 
pressed and  incensed  the  people  of  these  and  other  similiar  com- 
munities. For  this  George  II.  deprived  him  of  office,  but  the 
time  came  when  his  successor,  George  III,  was  compelled  to 
listen  to  his  words  of  wisdom. 

One  man  made  common  fame  for  Greenfield  and  New  Salem, 
Samuel  C.  Allen,  who  graduated  at  Dartmouth  in  1794  became 
the  minister  of  Northfield  the  ensuing  year.  He  soon  quitted 
the  ministry  and  studied  law  with  John  Barrett  of  that  town. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1800  and  settled  in  New  Salem. 
He  achieved  success,  and  in  18 16  was  elected  to  Congress  as  the 
successor  of  Rev.  Samuel  Taggart  of  Colrain,  who  had  served 
for  14  years,  and  declined  a  re-election.  Mr.  Allen  served  his 
district  in  Congress  for  12  years.  In  1822  he  removed  to  Green- 
field and  finally  to  Northfield,  where  upon  a  beautiful  farm,  he 
ended  his  days.  The  home  place  is  yet  held  by  a  descendant. 
Three  of  his  sons  became  eminent  lawyers.  Two  of  these  be- 
came members  of  Congress  from  Main.  EHsha  H.  Allen  after 
serving  in  Congress  emigrated  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  and  be- 
came chief  justice  of  the  kingdom.  Samuel  C:  Allen  was  for 
many  years  a  representative  from  Northfield  to  the  legislature; 
was  celebrated  as  an  agriculturalist  and  temperance  reformer, 
and  for  several  years  was  postmaster  of  East  Boston. 

Proctor  Pierce  was  born  in  New  Salem,  March  20,  1768,  son 
of  Abraham  and  Ruth  (Page)  Pierce.  He  was  also  descended 
from  that  John  Proctor  of  old  Salem,  who  was  hung  during  the 
witch-croft  delusion  in  Massachusetts.  Proctor  Pierce  graduated 
at  Dartmouth  in  1796,  and  was  soon  elected  to  teach  the  New 
Salem  Academy.     Here  he  remained  until  his  removal  to  Green- 


56  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

field  in  i8co,  where  he  taught  the  village  school.  His  celebrity 
as  a  teacher  brought  many  pupils  from  different  parts  of  the  state 
to  take  advantage  of  his  methods;  as  he  prepared  young  men 
for  admittance  to  college.  Many  men  who  afterwards  became 
prominent  in  life  were  his  pupils.  The  late  Hon.  George  Gren- 
nell,  Chief  Justice  Daniel  Wells,  Judge  Franklin  Ripley,  Rev. 
Preserved  Smith  and  many  others  were  members  of  his  classes. 
In  1800  while  teaching  in  Greenfield,  he  delivered  an  oration 
upon  the  life  and  character  of  Gen.  George  Washington. 

In  1802  he  married  Susanna,  daughter  of  Rev.  Roger  Newton, 
the  minister  of  Greenfield,  and  became  a  deacon  in  the  first 
church.  For  a  few  years  he  was  engaged  in  trade  in  Greenfield, 
but  teaching  was  his  chosen  profession,  and  he  followed  this 
employment  in  Lynn,  Cambridge  and  Boston.  He  died  in  Bos- 
ton April  27,  1 82 1,  aged  53  years. 

A  grandson,  Isaac  Newton  Pierce,  resides  in  Boston,  his  time 
being  largely  occupied  in  antiquarian  and  geneological  study. 

When  in  18 14  a  draft  was  ordered  to  raise  an  army  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  Massachusetts  and  Maine  coast  towns  and  cities, 
New  Salem  was  made  the  rendezvous  for  the  men  from  Frank- 
lin county.  According  to  a  letter  written  by  Alpha  Ryther,  a 
member  of  the  Greenfield  compan}'  under  command  of  Capt. 
David  Strickland,  (which  lies  before  me,)  they  remained  at 
New^  Salem  several  days  on  account  of  wet  weather.  He  says, 
"Our  officers  went  to  a  man's  house  by  the  name  of  Knight, 
(and  applied)  for  admittance  to  lodge  in  the  house  but  he  resis- 
ted; we  went  however  and  made  ourselves  at  home,  helped 
ourselves  to  the  garden  sauce  and  some  of  the  soldiers  killed  a 
goose,  stuffed  the  skin  and  carried  it  through  the  street.  He 
was  a  Federalist,  (whether  referring  to  the  man  or  the  goose,  I 
know  not)  and  a  friend  to  Britain.  After  w^e  started  from  New 
Salem  for  Boston,  our  company  wanted  some  water  and  hauled 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Uf-  CENTENNIAL.  S7 

up  to  a  place  to  procure  it,  but  the  man  happened  to  be  of  the 
same  stamp  as  old  Knights;  he  refused  it,  and  some  one  of  the 
our  company  ketched  hold  of  the  old  bucket  and  hauled  it  all 
over,  well  sweep  and  all."  These  early  incidents,  while  not 
very  creditable  to  the  militia  of  the  day;  show  the  intense  politi- 
cal enmity  which  existed  at  that  period  of  the  national  history. 

In  1790  New  Salem  having  1543  inhabitants  was  only  exceed- 
ed in  population  by  Conway  with  2092  people,  among  the  towns 
now  composing  Franklin  county.  In  1820  she  had  grown  to  be 
the  largest  town  in  the  county,  having  2146  inhabitants.  Won- 
derful changes  are  taking  place  day  by  day.  It  seems  as  though 
the  da^'S  had  come  of  which  the  prophet  Nahum  spoke,  when  he 
said:  "The  chariots  shall  rage  in  the  streets;  they  shall  jostle 
one  against  another  in  the  broadway;  they  shall  seem  like  tor- 
ches; they  shall  run  like  the  lightnings." 

F.  N.  Thompson,  Greenfield. 


From  George  S.  Mann. 


WiLLARD  Putnam,  Esq. 

Dear  Sir: — Some  days  since  I  received  from  my  brother  in 
Orange  a  program  of  the  forth-coming  150th  anniversary  of  the 
settlement  of  New  Salem  to  be  held  there  the  20th  of  this  month. 
The  Manns  are  a  Petersham  family,  having  descended  from  En- 
sign Mann,  who  married  Alice,  daughter  of  Rev.  Aaron  Whit- 
ney, the  first  minister  of  Petersham,  about  the  year  1773.  My 
father,  William  Mann,  of  Petersham,  married  in  1833,  Abigail 
Cook,  daughter  of  Bery'amin  Cook,  who  was  then  a  resident  of 
New  Salem,  or  perhaps  somewhat  earlier  and  had  been  since 
about  the  year  181 7,  having  removed  to  your  town  from  Guild- 
hall, Vt. 

About  the  time  of  my  father's  marriage  he  purchased  a  small 
farm  of  his  father-in-law,  Mr.  Cook,  situated  in  the  north-easter- 
ly part  of  New  Salem  and  on  a  short  road,  or  highway  leading 
from  the  Joseph  Parker  place  by  Ezekiel  Newell  farm  to  the 
Petersham  and  New  Salem  main  road,  and  during  a  year  or  two 
after  this  purchased  and  lived  on  this  place,  and  here  I  was  born 
Nov.  25,  1834,  and  for  a  year  or  so,  four  or  five  years  later  on  I 
well  remember  living  there  and  attending  school  in  the  adjoin- 
ing Athol  district.  Some  of  the  neighbors  I  well  remember — 
William  Rice,  James  Meacham,  Mr.  Newell,  a  Moulton  family, 
next  south  of  us,  and  then  came  the  Totmans.     Very  soon  after 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Ul-  CENTENNIAL.  59 

this  event  my  father  sold  this  place  to  James  J.  Sanderson  and 
moved  back  to  Petersham,  his  native  town. 

Since  that  early  period  I  have  known  but  little  of  my  birth- 
place. Years  since,  say  a  dozen  or  so,  I  passed  by  the  spot 
where  the  house  stood  on  the  west  side  of  the  highway,  the  barn 
and  other  buildings  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street,  all  of 
which  were  gone,  and  nothing  remained  to  remind  one  of  where 
the  buildings  stood,  except  a  lilac  bush  near  where  the  old  house 
was  formerly.  It  was  a  very  fair  one-story  pitched  roof  dwelling 
with  a  long  kitchen  and  two  square  rooms  in  the  northerly  part. 
There  was  a  small  ell  projecting  on  the  road  southerly,  which  I 
remember  was  our  best  room.  The  north  westerly  room  was 
occupied  by  my  great-grandmother,  then  in  her  94th  year.  She 
died  at  our  home  in  Petersham  in  1840,  aged  95.  She  enjoyed 
a  pension,  her  husband,  George  Fillmon,  having  been  a  soldier 
in  the  Revolution.  I  am  sorry  that  I  know  so  little  regarding 
the  early  history  of  your  town. 

If  my  memory  serves  me  up  here  in  the  Green  mountains  I 
believe  one  of  your  early  ministers,  Rev.  Mr.  Kendall,  married 
another  daughter  of  Rev.  Aaron  Whitney,  the  Tory  preacher  of 
Petersham.  I  was  not  one  of  the  fortunate  ones  who  were 
schooled  at  your  Academy — Thomas  Marshall  Mann,  my  far- 
ther's  cousin,  I  think,  was  once  there,  and  I  believe  another 
cousin,  Samuel  Mann.  Sanford  B.  Cook  of  Petersham,  a  consin 
of  mine,  no  doubt  was  in  school  there  many  years  since,  and  I 
really  forget  whether  or  not  my  brother  Horace  attended  there. 
Well  I  am  writing  too  much.  For  many  years  I  have  been  in- 
terested in  family  and  biographical  history  and  wish  we  could 
obtain  a  more  full  and  complete  account  of  the  early  doings  and 
facts  of  the  various  towns  in  Massachusetts.  I  have  written 
this  much  in  reply  to  your  circular,  and  in  considerable  of  a 
hurry,  in  order  to  meet  a  party  on  a   walk. 


6o  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL. 

If  I  possessed  the  reputation  of  a  Washington  or  a  Lincohi 
even,  I  should  have  considered  it  an  honor  to  have  been  born  in 
your  town,  but  as  I  am  only  a  humble,  plain  citizen,  the  place 
of  my  nativity  will  never  be  advertised  or  become  famous  for  my 
having  first  beheld  the  light  of  day  within  its  borders. 
Very  truly  yours, 

George  Sumner  Mann. 
Brookline,  Mass. 


ADRESSES. 
Rev.  a.  V.  House. 


Rev.  A.  V.  House  of  Worcester,  formerly  of  New  Salem,  was 
next  introduced.  He  said  he  could  add  but  little  to  the  already 
interesting  array  of  pleasant  things  said  about  New  Salem.  He 
spoke  of  the  great  good  which  will  come  from  the  inspiration  of 
the  day's  exercises.  Mr.  House  spoke  feelingly  of  his  work  in 
the  town,  and  of  the  many  benefits  which  could  be  gained  by 
living  and  working  in  small  towns. 


W.  E.  Sibley. 


W.  E.  Sibley  of  Worcester,  a  class-mate  at  New  vSalem  aca- 
demy of  President  Vaughan,  spoke  interestingly.  He  gave 
good  advice  to  the  young  men  and  women  of  the  town,  and  said 
that  it  is  not  so  much  what  you  do,  or  how  you  do  it  in  the  way  of 
individual  achievement,  as  it  is  to  do  your  work  with  a  will,  and 
with  the  end  in  view  of  succeeding  in  that  undertaking.  Take 
up  a  business  congenial  to  you  and  then  stick  to  it.  Mr.  Sibley 
told  of  his  early  recollections  of  New  Salem  and  the  affection  he 
had  for  the  old  Academy  and  the  town. 


Maj.  General  H.  C.  Merritt. 


One  of  the  interesting  short  speeches  was  by  Major  General 
H.  C.  Merritt  of  Houlton,  Maine.  General  Merritt  is  in  the 
regular  army,  and  his  father  was  a  native  of  New  Salem  and 
attended  the  Academ}-.  The  town  of  Houlton  was  a  child  of 
New  Salem,  being  settled  by  a  number  of  good  people  from 
New  Salem,  and  so  the  speaker  considered  himself  a  kind  of 
grandchild  of  the  place.  He  congratulated  the  many  sons  and 
daughters  of  New  Salem,  who  had  so  gloriously  gone  forth  and 
succeeded  in  life's  battle.  Much  credit  can  be  given  the  early 
influence  of  those  men  and  women. 

Ex-Representative  W.  A.  Davenport. 

The  last  speaker  of  the-  day  was  ex-representativ^e  W.  A. 
Davenport  of  Greenfield.  He  said  that  for  many  years  Academ- 
ies were  stepping  stones  to  the  colleges.  To  day  the  high  school 
is  fast  taking  its  place,  but  the  speaker  believed  that  in  many 
ways  the  thoroughness  of  the  present  day  high  school  course 
was  not  equal  to  the  old  academy  education.  Mr.  Davenport 
glowingly  referred  to  Geo.  W.  Horr  of  Athol,  and  spoke  of  him 
as  a  type  of  the  New  Salem  graduate,  one  who  could  be  pointed 
to  with  pride.  Mr.  Davenport  continued  his  address  in  an  in- 
teresting strain,  and  it  was  very  pleasing  throughout. 


N£IV  SALEM  SESQUI-CENTENNIAL. 


63 


THE  BEARS  DEN. 


The  waters  of  Swift  river  in  their  descent  from  the  high  lands 
of  the  west  part  of  the  town  to  the  lower  regions  of  the  east,  pass 
through  several  interesting  and  romantic  places.  The  most 
prominent  of  these  is  the  locality  called  the  "Bears  Den."  Here 
the  water  coming  down  through  an  opening  in  the  hills,  passes 
over  the  rocks  and  makes  a  most  beautiful  waterfall,  which  is 


surrounded  on  each  side  by  cliffs  of  rock  nearly  one  hundred 
feet  in  height;  on  the  right  hand  side  there  are  several  caves 
which  extend  many  feet  back  into  the  rock.  It  was  here  that 
the  bold  hunter,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  the  town,  killed  a 
large  black  bear.  It  was  this  incident  which  gave  the  locality 
its  name.  Many  a  story  has  been  written  and  many  a  song  has 
been  sung  about  the  Bears  Den.  The  fall  was  utilized  for  a 
grist  mill  and  wagon  shop  many  years  ago.  The  business  was 
discontinued  in  1854. 


GEOGRAPHY  OF  NEW  SALEM. 


New  Salem  is  the  south-east  town  in  the  county  of  Franklin, 
and  is  about  twenty  miles  distant  from  Greenfield,  the  county 
seat.  The  present  territory  of  the  town  comprises  15,217  acres. 
The  surface  of  the  town  is  hilly,  rugged  and  mountainous;  the 
highest  elevation  is  in  the  south-west,  where  there  is  an  altitude 
of  1280  feet  abo^-e  the  sea  level.  Nowhere  in  America  is  there 
more  beautiful  scenery  to  be  found  than  there  is  to  be  seen  from 
New  Salem  hill — on  the  north  is  to  be  seen  Mount  Grace;  to  the 
north-east  is  Mount  Monadnock  in  her  solitary  grandeur;  to  the 
east  is  Wachusett  and  around  and  between  these  giants  are  a 
large  number  of  smaller  mountains  and  hills. 

The  climate  of  the  town  is  very  salubrious  and  healthy.  The 
Jakes  and  ponds  in  the  town  are  the  reservoir,  or  Thompson's 
pond,  in  the  east  covering  265  acres;  north  and  south  Spectacle 
ponds  covering  80  acres;  Hacker's  pond  west  from  Spectacle 
ponds  of  20  acres  and  Hop  brook  pond.  The  streams  are,  the 
middle  branch  of  Swift  river,  which  has  its  source  in  the  east 
part  of  Wendell  and  which  flows  to  the  east  past  the  village  of 
North  New  Salem  where  it  is  joined  by  the  water  from  North 
pond,  it  then  turns  to  the  south  and  passes  through  the  entire 
length  of  the  town.  It  is  joined  on  both  sides  by  numerous 
small  streams,  among  them  on  the  east  is  Red  brook,  on  the 
west  is  Moose  Horn  brook  and  Hop  brook. 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  Ul-  CENTENNIAL.  65 

These  ponds  and  brooks  are  well  filled  with  pickerel,  trout, 
pouts  and  other  kinds  of  fish.  The  State  Fish  Commissioners 
have  recently  placed  in  Swift  river  a  large  number  of  small  trout. 
The  large  amount  of  wood  land  in  the  town  furnishes  a  home  for 
the  raccoon,  the  partridge  and  the  fox. 

The  deer  which  were  here  when  the  town  was  settled,  and 
which  had  entirely  disappeared,  are  now  quite  numerous.  They 
are  protected  by  law. 


HISTORIC  PLACES  MARKED, 


The  committee  have  marked  five  historic  places  by  placing 
large  stones  with  suitable  inscription.  One  was  placed  on  the 
site  of  the  old  fort  and  stockade  on  the  south  side  of  the  Town 
Farm;  one  at  the  site  of  the  fort  near  the  Academy  building; 
one  where  the  first  church  was  built  in  1739;  one  where  the  first 
settlement  was  made  by  Jeremiah  Meacham  in  1737,  and  one 
where  the  Hessian  prisoners,  captured  at  Saratoga,  passed 
through  this  town. 


THE  ANTIQUARIAN  EXHIBIT. 


It  is  well  nigh  impossible  to  enumerate  the  number  and  write 
the  history  of  all  the  articles  exhibited,  and  although  but  a  part 
of  the  many  things  in  New  Salem  preserved  for  their  antiquity 
were  brought  out,  there  were  about  500  articles  on  exhibition. 

Charles  A.  Merriam. — Catalogue  of  the  trustees,  instructors 
and  students  of  New  Salem  Academy,  October,  1830;  bed  spread 
made  by  Mrs.  Cyrus  Merriam  67  years  ago;  chair  over  125  years 
old;  warming  pan;  candle  mould  and  candles;  pair  andirons; 
shovel  and  tongs;  candle  snuffers  and  tray;  old  candle  stick; 
pewter  porringer;  sampler;  old  tin  apple  dish;  old  lace  handker- 
chief; old  bracket  candle  holder;  pair  brass  candle  sticks  70 
years  old;  old  bread  trough;  28  pieces  fine  old  crockery;  7  pieces 
fine  old  glass  ware. 

Prentice  N.  Pierce. — Old  ilint  lock,  musket  and  knapsack, 
used  by  Emerson  Goodnow  in  New  Salem  militia  in  1820;  rebel 
rifle  captured  at  Roanoke  Island;  old  bottle,  formerly  belonging 
to  C apt.  Joel  Osgood;  collection  samplers,  framed;  old  oven 
shovel;  old  meat  roaster;  old  skate;  i  ball  from  chain  shot  of 
Revolutionary  times;  old  shoe  hammer;  old  tin  lantern;  skillet; 
wide  cradle  in  which  the  Goodnow  triplets  were  rocked;  hatchel 
for  cleaning  flax;  old  tea  pot;  sugar  bowl;  teacup  and  saucer; 
pewter  porringer,  from  which  the  Goodnow  triplets  were  fed; 
old  bible,  (Mrs.  H.  C.  Crowl);  old  stays  or  corsets  200  years  old. 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI- CENTENNIAL.  67 

Charles  P.  Johnson. — Slave  clog  and  old  shoe  picked  up  from 
the  battlefield  of  Shiloh  or  Pittsburg  landing  just  after  the  bat- 
tle; stone  Indian  chisel;  copy  book,  1800;  piece  of  Charter  Oak; 
arrow  heads;  old  pistol;  pepper  box;  revolver;  little  pitcher, 
once  his  great-grand-mother's,  125  years  old;  collection  cart- 
ridges, old  and  new;  old  pocket  ink  stand;  gun  flints;  old  pewter 
lamp;  silver  teaspoon,  made  from  silver  taken  from  the  hilt  of 
his  great-grandfather's  sword,  Capt.  Nymphus  Stacy;  old  tin 
baking  oven;  history  of  the  world,  1793;  dictionary  over  100  years. 

Mrs.  B.  W.  Fay. — Old  dinner  pot;  old  cartridge  box;  old 
chair.;  gridiron,  1833;  toaster,  1833;  revolving  gridiron;  old 
spider;  bellows,  2  pewter;  platters. 

D.  E.  Andrews. — Very  old  foot  stove;  2  skillets;  2  pictures  of 
Dr.  Robert  Andrews;  hand  reel. 

George  W.  Fisher. — Old  pistol;  greenback;  arrow  heads;  old 
silver  spoon. 

Richard  C.  Woolworth. — Warming  pan  over  100  years  old. 

Marshall  Fisher. — Old  tin  lantern;  old  crank  reel;  hand  reel; 
foot  stove;  gridiron. 

D.  B.  Cogswell. — Old  post-hole  ax;  old  pitchfork. 

Lucien  Stoughton. — Old  pepper  box;  revolver,  which  figured 
in  California,  made  1800;  bed  blanket,  homespun;  old  tea  kettle; 
piggin  or  wooden  pitchor,  1 800. 

Rawson  King. — Two  candle  molds;  iron  candle  stick;  pair 
brass  candle  sticks;  small  old  tin  lantern;  very  old  tin  molasses 
cup;  two  pewter  porringers;  2  old  iron  teaspoons;  old  mug;  pep- 
per shaker;  skillet;  snuffer  and  tray;  2  dresses,  a  bonnet  and 
little  shirt  worn  by  Rawson  King,  when  he  was  a  real  little  kid. 

Mrs.  Julia  Whipple. — Old  pewter  platter;  an  old  newspaper, 
1798,  with  poem  upon  Washington's  assent  to  take  command  of 
the  U.  S.  armies  the  second  time,  written  by  "Ruricus,"  New 
Salem. 


68  NE W  SALEM  SESQ UICENTENNIAL. 

lycster  Ballard. — Old  bass  viol;  bedspread,  woven  and  worked 
by  Lucy  Fay,  the  grandmother  of  Mrs.  Ballard,  in  1823. 

A.  F.  Haskell. — Pewter  platter,  150  years  old;  foot  stove;  old 
candle  stick;  snuffers  and  tray,  200  years  old;  arrow  heads. 

Levi  Newton. — Old  bottle,  125  or  140  years  old,  pewter  plat- 
ter over  100  years  old,  coat  and  vest,  spun  and  woven  by  his 
grandmother  about  118  years  ago. 

Albert  Ballard. — Old  chair  which  has  been  in  the  BuUard 
family  for  over  100  years,  old  hair  trunk,  old  baking  kettle,  two 
skillets,  olden  wooden  bit  brace,  list  of  the  voters  of  Wendell  in 
1840. 

Daniel  Ballard. — Old  Ballard  tavern  sign,  spinning  wheel, 
reel,  letter  box,  Indian  relics,  swift,  canteen  and  army  belt  car- 
ried by  Mr.  Ballard  in  the  civil  war,  cartridge  box,  foot  stove, 
two  ancient  bread  toasters,  old  quilt,  tin  apple  dish,  Major  War- 
ren Horr's  ancient  pump,  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  very  first 
pump  which  came  to  town  following  upon  the  heels  of  the  old 
oaken  bucket,  old  Queen's  arm  and  musket,  one  of  which  was 
carried  by  Mr.  Ballard's  grandfather  of  Wendell  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war;    he  served  on  the  quota  of  New  Salem. 

Eugene  BuUard. — Old  handbox,  book,  collection  of  sermons 
250  years  old,  pair  andirons,  spinning  wheel. 

A.  D.  Paige. — The  Paige  cradle. 

Alfred  Eaton. — Old  wooden  bit  stock,  tinderbox  of  horn  with 
tinder,  made  by  his  father,  John  Eaton. 

Stowell  Bros. — Epaulets,  belt,  sash  and  sword  of  Captain 
Samuel  H.  Stowell,  Captain  of  militia,  1840  to  1861,  old  secre- 
tary, collection  old  books  from  the  late  Samuel  H.  Stowell' s  li- 
brary, warming  pan,  tin  lantern,  pair  old  andirons,  old  dung 
fork,  "frow,"  for  splitting  shingles,  quilt  made  by  Mary  Clark 
Chandler  over  80  years  ago. 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL.  6g 

Mrs.  H.  A.  Cogswell. — Two  decanters,  two  tea  canisters,  snuf- 
fers and  tray,  sand  box  for  clothing,  baby  dress,  worn  by  Mrs. 
Cogswell,  64  years  old,  pocket  book  100  years  old,  made  by 
Mollie  Holbrook. 

Mrs.  Ida  M.  Rawson. — Band  box,  old  '*plug"  hat,  shaker 
bonnet,  pair  old  fashioned  home  spun  pants,  old  plate,  old  fiat 
iron  and  rest,  silk  hood,  pair  shears,  tongs,  old  pocket  book, 
pair  brass  candle  sticks,  tin  lantern,  blanket,  home  spun  and 
woven  90  years  ago,  part  of  blanket,  home  spun  and  woven  100 
years  ago,  old  small  tin  lamp. 

Mrs.  B.  W.  Fay. — Carpet  bag,  1850,  old  leather  bag,  piece  of 
dimity,  part  of  the  wedding  dress  of  great-great  grandmother 
Fletcher,  pair  satin  slippers  faom  Scotland,  125  years  ago,  an- 
cient tortoise  shell  comb,  candle  extinguisher,  old  gill,  and  1-2 
gill  measures.  Confederate  bill,  old  lace  tidy,  sausage  filler,  old 
watch  100  years  old,  given  to  B.  W.  Fay  when  a  small  child  by 
his  uncle. 

Mrs.  J.  M.  Smith. — Nine  pieces  fine  old  crockery. 

Geo.  W.  Horr. — A  pamphlet  specimen  of  old  time  bookkeep- 
ing, antedating  1800,  some  of  the  entries  were  very  suggestive, 
and  indicated  that  frequent  and  liberal  doses  of  fire  water  was 
considered  essential  to  good  living. 


WHERE  IS  THE  OLD  GUN? 


At  the  battle  of  Bennington,  the  Americans  captured  from  the 
British  six  pieces  of  light  artillery. 

Several  of  them  were  given  to  the  colony  of  Massachusetts, 
and  one  of  these  was  presented  to  the  town  of  New  Salem,  by 
the  General  Court.  Previous  to  its  capture  by  General  Stark 
the  old  gun  had  had  a  most  eventful,  varied  and  interseting  ex- 
perience. It  was  manufactured  in  Dresden,  Germany,  and  was 
for  many  years  used  in  the  wars  against  Poland  and  Austria; 
it  came  over  to  Liverpool  with  King  George's  Hessian  soldiers; 
and  formed  a  part  of  that  splendid  equipment  which  General 
Burgoyne  collected  for  his  campaign  against  the  northern  colon- 
ies. It  was  brought  over  in  the  ship  with  General  Burgoyne 
and  his  staff;  and  we  have  read  in  an  old  history  that  as  the 
vessels  composing  the  fleet  were  appraching  the  gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence  there  suddenly  burst  upon  them  from  the  north  a  fear- 
ful storm,  and  the  transports  were  scattered  in  all  directions. 
The  Captain  of  the  flag  ship  ordered  all  cannons,  arms  and 
other  munitions  of  war,  brought  up  and  thrown  overboard. 

George  Burgoyne  interposed  and  prevented  the  destruction, 
saying,  "I  had  rather  go  the  bottom  of  the  ocean  than  land  in 
America,  without  my  supplies  and  equipments."  The  storm 
soon  passed,  and  the  entire  fleet  arrived  in  safety  at  Quebec  and 
Montreal.     And  in  that  march  through  southern  Canada  among 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL.  71 

a  people  loyal  to  King  George  III,  the  old  gun  went  along  in 
the  front  ranks,  which  were  largely  increased  by  a  motley  crowd 
of  Tories  and  Indians.  They  crossed  the  Richelieu  river,  then 
around  to  the  west  shore  of  Lake  Champlain,  thence  down  past 
Plattsburg — which  later  was  to  become  historic  ground — then 
along  under  the  shadows  of  the  Adirondacks;  but  soon  shadows 
of  a  different  nature  began  to  gather  around  them.  The  rebels 
were  springing  up  all  around  them;  their  allies,  the  Tories  and 
Indians,  were  deserting  them.  The  army  was  suffering  for 
food.  General  Baum  sent  to  Bennington  with  his  artillery  to 
capture  supplies  stored  there  by  the  rebels;  he  returned  with 
neither  food  or  cannon. 

The  cannon  given  to  New  Salem  was  kept  at  New  Salem,  hill 
for  many  years,  and  was  used  on  all  festive  occasions;  but 
sometimes  they  would  find  it  missing  when  they  went  to  bring 
it  out  to  celebrate  the  glorious  Fourth,  but  soon  they  would 
hear  its  sharp  repoft  in  some  distant  part  of  the  town.  This 
state  of  affairs  continued  for  many  years,  then  came  a  time  w^hen 
the  old  gun  was  silent,  and  for  twenty  years  nothing  was  heard 
of  it,  it  had  been  buried  under  a  heap  of  stones  upon  the  farm 
now  owned  by  Lester  Ballard.  It  had  been  placed  there  by  two 
men  residents  of  New  Salem  hill;  one  of  them  went  west,  and, 
returning  after  an  absence  of  twenty  years,  was  surprised  to 
learn  that  it  was  yet  remaining  where  there  had  placed  it. 

It  soon  made  its  appearance,  and  was  again  used  in  various 
parts  of  the  town. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July,  1856,  it  assisted  at  the  celebration  at 
Millington;  it  was  soon  after  carried  again  to  New  Salem  hjll, 
and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th  day  of  September  it  was  lying 
upon  the  ground  near  the  village  school  house. 

The  writer,  then  a  school  boy  at  New  Salem  Academy,  had^ 
been  for  some  time  looking  at  it,  and  thinking  that  in  the  future 


72  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL. 

he  might  have  use  for  it,  he  arranged  with  some  friends  to  carry 
it  to  a  safe  hiding  place. 

At  midnight  they  went  out;  it  was  a  balmy  September  even- 
ing, the  moon  in  its  decadence  was  just  coming  up  over  the 
Petersham  hills,  and  the  shadows  of  the  Academy  building,  ex- 
tended far  out  upon  the  common:  in  the  south  and  west  was  a 
tissue  of  fine  fleecy  clouds.  To  the  great  astonishment  of  the 
writer  and  his  friends  the  cannon  was  gone.  They  looked  over 
the  common,  around  the  boarding  house,  among  the  graves  in 
the  ancient  cemetery,  around  the  churches  and  in  many  other 
places,  but  the  did  not  find  it.  Since  that  September  evening, 
nearly  fifty  years  ago,  naught  has  been  heard  of  the  old  cannon. 
While  great  and  momentous  changes  have  been  going  on  all  over 
the  world,  the  old  gun  has  remained  silent. 

Is  there  any  one  living  today  who  knows  where  it  is  ? 

We  have  always  supposed  it  did  not  go  far  on  that  evening, 
and  that  today  it  is  somewhere  near  New  Salem  hill. 


TOWN  CLERK'S  OF  NEW  SALEM  FROM   1855, 


1855-57  A,  Harding  Jr, 
1858-59  Chas,  M.  Pierce, 
1859-74  Royal  Whittaker. 

1874  R.  T.  Shumway. 

1875  F.  A.  Haskell. 
1876-87  Chas.  Chandler. 
1888-03  Edwin  F.  Stowell. 

SELECTMEN  OF  NEW  SALEM. 


1764  Amos  Foster 
Jeremiah  Ballard 
Benjamin  Southwick  Jr. 

1765  Amos  Foster 
Benjamin  Southwick  Jr. 
Jeremiah  Ballard 

The   above  were  obtained  from  old  records  in  the  possession 
of  Daniel  Ballard. 

1855-56  Emerson  Fay, 

Joseph  Packard, 
Royal  Whittaker. 
1857  Emerson  Fay, 

Royal  Whittaker, 
Alpheus  Thomas. 


74  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-  CENTENNIAL. 

1858  Alpheus  Thomas, 

William  T.  Freeman, 
Joseph  Gallond. 
1859-60  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
F.  R,  Haskell, 
William  Whittimore, 

1 86 1  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
William  Whittimore,. 
V.  V.  Vaughn. 

1862  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Samuel  Adams, 
V.  V.  Vaughn. 

1863  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Samuel  Adams, 
Sylvanus  Sibley. 

1864  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Samuel  Adams, 
Daniel  V.  Putnam. 

1865  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Daniel  V.  Putnam, 
William  T.  Freeman. 

1866  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Daniel  V.  Putnam, 
Eugene  BuUard. 

1867  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Daniel  V.  Putnam, 
J.  H.  Carey. 

1868-70  Royal  Whittaker, 
Daniel  V.  Putnam, 
Beriah  W.  Fay, 
1 87 1  Royal  Whittaker, 
I^aniel  V.  Putnam, 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAE  75 

E.  D.  Andrews. 

1872  Daniel  V.  Putnam, 
Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Samuel  H.  Stowell. 

1873  Elijah  F.  Porter, 
Samuel  H.  Stowell, 
Lucien  T.  Briggs. 

1 8 74- 76  Nelson  Haskins, 

F.  W.  Newland, 
William  I^.  Powers, 

1877  F.  W.  Newland, 

William  ly.  Powers, 

H.  A.  Cogswell. 
1878-79  F.  W.  Newland, 

Daniel  Ballard, 

Proctor  Whittaker. 
1880-83  Daniel  Ballard, 

Proctor  Whittaker, 

George  E.  Woods. 
1884-87  Daniel  Ballard, 

Proctor  Whittaker, 

Howard  S.  Herrick. 
1888  F.  W.  Newland, 

S.  H.  Stowell, 

William  L.  Powers. 
1889-90  S.  H.  Stowell, 

W.  ly.  Powers, 

OtisE.  Hager. 
1891-92  Otis  E.  Hager. 

Willard  Putnam, 

Dwight  A.  Stowell. 
1893  Willard  Putnam, 


76  NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CENTENNIAL. 

Eugene  BuUard, 
D wight  A.  Stowell. 

1894  Eugene  Bullard, 

D wight  A.  Stowell, 
Edwin  C.  Chamberlin. 

1895  Willard  Putnam, 

D wight  A.  Stowell, 
Edwin  C.  Chamberlin. 

1896  D wight  A.  Stowell, 
Edwin  C.  Chamberlin, 
Howard  S.  Herrick. 

1897  D wight  A.  Stowell, 
Howard  S.  Herrick, 
Willard  Putnam. 

1898-99  F.  W.  Newland, 
Wm.  A.  Orcutt, 
Chas.  J.  Moulton. 

1900-03  Henry  L.  Horr, 
Alba  D.  Paige, 
Chas.  E.  Holden. 

SCHOOL  COMMITTEE. 


1855  Wm.  T.  Giles. 

James  W.  Adams, 
A.  W.  Paige. 
1856-57  Rev.  Thomas  Weston, 
Beriah  W.  Fay, 

1858  Beriah  W.  Fay, 
Rev.  Erastus  Curtis, 
Rev.  Thomas  Weston. 

1859  Rev.  Erastus  Curtis, 


NE  W  SALEM  SESQ  UI-CEN2ENNIAL  77 

Beriah  W.  Fay, 
Geo.  W.  Horr. 
i860  Dr.  A.  E.  Kemp, 

Dr.  Levi  Chamberlain, 
Daniel  W.  Houghton. 
1 86 1 -9 1  Beriah  W.  Fay. 

1862  G.  A.  Kemp. 

1 863  A.  K.  Kemp. 
1864-65  Rev.' David  Eastman. 
1865-67  Joseph  A.  Shaw. 
1868-70  Willard  Putnam. 
1871-72  Dr.  W.  H.  Hills. 
1873-03  Willard  Putnam. 
1875-77  F.  E.  Stratton. 

1878  80  Clarence  Goodnow. 
1881-90  Geo.  R.  Paige. 
1890-03  Daniel  Ballard. 
1891-98  Howard  S.  Herrick. 
1898-00  Rev.  A.  V.  House. 
1900-03  William  Bullard. 


M101978'  ^,]tfl3 


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